CLEVELAND, Mississippi - Delta State outscored the visiting Shorter Hawks 21-0 in the second half as the No. 11 Statesmen picked up the 35-20 home victory at Parker Field - McCool Stadium.  Delta State was held to the lowest scoring output this season and utilized a strong defensive effort to pick up the victory.

Shorter got out to an early lead as Kirk Wilson broke loose for a 70-yard scoring run that put the Hawks ahead 7-0. 

The Hawks extended the advantage with a 32-yard field goal by Kenny Langford with 12:54 to play in the second quarter.  Eric Dodson connected with Wilson on a 52-yard pass earlier in the drive.  Dodson added another long scoring play as he found Darius Turner along the right sideline for 65 yards with 11:12 in the second quarter as the lead extended to 17-0.

Delta State (5-0, 3-0 GSC) was held scoreless in the opening quarter; it was just the second scoreless quarter for DSU this season.

Eddie McCadney scored the first points for Delta State as he found the end zone from three yards out with 8:28 to play in the first half.  Tyler Sullivan went 4-for-6 on the drive including a fourth down conversion to Jarvis York to keep the drive alive inside the Hawks 10-yard line.

D'Juan Bellaire scored from 40 yards away with 5:51 to play in second quarter, including hurdling a defender near the goal line.  The scoring play pulled the Statesmen within three points, 17-14.

Shorter (3-2, 1-1 GSC) added to the lead with another field goal from Kenny Langford from 21 yards, making the score 20-14 with 1:14 to play prior to halftime.  The score held until halftime, marking the first game this season where DSU was behind at the intermission.

After alternating punts to start the second half, Sullivan found Justin Leavy for a nine yard touchdown reception.  Vince Sciorrotta added the point after to give the Statesmen the lead for the first time, 21-20.

Sullivan added a five yard scoring run on fourth-and-short from the Shorter five yard line to extend the lead to 28-20 with just under four minutes to play in the third quarter.

Romelo Wilson halted the next drive as he picked-off Dodson at the 32-yard line on a pass that was behind the intended receiver.  The turnover kept the Hawks off the scoreboard in the third quarter.  The Statesmen defense still has yet to allow a point in the third quarter this season.

Patrick Bethley found the end zone from 20 yards out on a fourth quarter reception from Sullivan with 6:47 remaining. 

On the following drive, Landry Tullo turned away the Hawks offense with a tackle for loss on fourth down to give the Statesmen the ball back on the 38 yard line with 3:37 remaining.  Delta State ran out the rest of the clock with a five-play, 36-yard drive.

Sullivan ended the day 25-for-37 with 321 yards and a pair of scoring passes.  Casey Osborne hauled in nine passes for 107 yards.  Bellaire rushed for 77 yards on seven carries while Timothy Foy rushed seven times for 41 yards.  Tullo led the defense with 10 tackles, including a sack and three stops behind the line-of-scrimmage.  The Statesmen defense had 16 tackles for loss and five sacks recorded.  Wilson Curtis recorded five stops behind the line while recording eight stops, with Latrell Peterson stopping three plays for loss and a sack with six tackles.