Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

JACKSON, Tenn. – The No. 20 Delta State University Baseball team defeated Union University 10-2 and 4-0 Saturday, March 15 to claim a doubleheader sweep at Fesmire Field.  The Statesmen improved to 12-6 overall and 11-3 in Gulf South Conference play.  Union slipped to 5-16 on the season and 2-8 in the GSC.  

After a slow start offensively in game one, the Statesmen erupted for nine runs on nine hits in the top of the fifth inning to take a commanding 9-0 lead on the Bulldogs.  Landon Thibodeaux delivered an RBI single to left field to score Ricky Velez and break the stalemate.

The hit parade got going with back-to-back two-RBI hits from Benji Sullivan, who doubled down the left field line, and Jordan Chovaenc, who singled to right. 

Velez, who started the inning with single to center, came through with an RBI single to right to make it 6-0 DSU.  Brent Langston clobbered an RBI double to left-center to plate another run and Thibodeaux collected his second and third RBIs in the inning with a single to center. 

Trailing 9-0 in the bottom of the eighth, Union mounted a rally off Statesman reliever Travis Northern, scoring two runs on three hits.  Union scratched across it's first run thanks in part to a single by Wacey Russell.  Michael Flores followed suit with an RBI single to center.

Delta State tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth, as Ben Pickard's sac fly to center scored Dex Herrington, who reached on an error by UU third baseman David Shoemaker. 

Michael Manley scattered five runs and two walks over 7.0 innings of work to earn his fourth consecutive victory.  The senior from Raymond, Miss., struck out five in the outing. 

Northern worked one inning of relief while giving up three runs on two hits with a walk.  Nick Goza tossed the ninth inning to close out the game and Delta State's 10-2 victory. 

The Statesmen collected 10 runs on 14 hits without an error in game one while the Bulldogs scored two runs on eight hits with an error.

Velez and Langston turned in identical performances at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI.  Thibodeaux finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs.  Sullivan was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. 

Derek Roof (2-3) took the loss for the Bulldogs after surrendering nine earned runs on 11 hits.  The senior walked two and struck out two in the loss.  Andrew Wilson tossed 4.0 innings of relief, allowing a run on three hits with a walk and a strikeout. 

In game two, Jonathon Moody (3-1) made his third straight quality start for the Statesmen in a 4-0 victory.  The junior from Millington, Tenn., allowed six hits with a walk and five strikeouts in a complete-game shutout win.  

Offensively, Thibodeaux (2) put the Statesmen up 1-0 in the top of the third with a solo home run to left off Union starter Preston Thompson.

Langston's RBI double to left extended Delta State's lead to 2-0 in the top of the sixth.  Carlos Leal, who reached on a hit-by-pitch, came in to score. The inning's fruitfulness wasn't over, as Sullivan slapped a two-RBI double to left to make it 4-0 Delta State and chased Union's Thompson from the mound.

Thompson (0-2) took the loss after giving up four earned runs on four hits in 5.2 innings of work.  The junior walked two and struck out three in the appearance.  Teddy Christie worked 1.1 innings of scoreless relief for Union.      

Sunday's series finale is set for 1 p.m.