FINAL GAME 1: UWA 8 (6-3, 1-0), Delta State 7 (1-4, 0-1)
DELTA STATE STARTERS GAME 1: Cummins (CF), Giambrone (DH), Pickard (1B), Gil (3B), Thibodeaux (LF), Barrett (C), Swiney (RF), Rivera (2B), Skelton (SS); Moody (RHP)
WEST ALABAMA STARTERS GAME 1: Madden (CF), Cockrum (C), Holgate (3B), Kieffer (DH), Bush (RF), Rainey (1B), Mendez (2B), Chamblee (LF), Bolte (SS); Cruz (RHP)
THE BASICS GAME 1: Delta State gave up eight unanswered runs in the first game of the doubleheader to lose its GSC opener 8-7.
HOW IT HAPPENED GAME 1:- The Statesmen used a four-run third inning to take the first lead of the day, 4-0. Delta State totaled five hits in the frame; the top of the order did most of the damage, with the first six hitters in the order collecting a hit.
- Senior Landon Thibodeaux and juniors Trent Giambrone Ben Pickard and Ethan Gill each provided an RBI for the Statesmen.
- The following inning provided three more runs for Delta State, including a two-RBI double off of Pickard's bat.
- A two-run home run for West Alabama's Mitch Holgate got the hosts on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth and to close the gap to 7-2. The following hitter, Eddie Kieffer, doubled to right field to keep the rally going. Tanner Rainey then rocketed a two-run homerun over the centerfield wall getting the Tigers within three, 7-4.
- West Alabama used another two-run homerun in the sixth to get within one run, 7-6, this time from Kieffer. A Parker Madden RBI-single later in the frame leveled the score, 7-7, and the comeback was complete.
- In the bottom of the ninth the Tigers put two men aboard with one out. The Statesmen attempted to turn a double play to end the inning, but the throw to first went wide and allowed the Holgate to score from first base.
FINAL GAME 1: UWA 12 (7-3, 2-0), Delta State 7 (1-5, 0-2)
DELTA STATE STARTERS GAME 2: Cummins (CF), Giambrone (2B), Pickard (C), Gil (3B), Thibodeaux (LF), Welch (1B), McMillian (DH), Twitty (LF), Andrews (SS); Rice (RHP)
WEST ALABAMA STARTERS GAME 2: Madden (CF), Cockrum (DH), Holgate (3B), Kieffer (C), Bush (RF), Rainey (1B), Mendez (2B), Chamblee (LF), Bolte (SS); Fernandez (RHP)
THE BASICS GAME 2: West Alabama continued its offensive showcase in the second game of the double header, toping Delta State 12-7. Despite the deficit, the Statesmen went down fighting, loading the bases in the seventh to plate four runs.
HOW IT HAPPENED GAME 2:- Junior leadoff hitter Brandon Cummins poked a single into right field to get things started for the Statesmen in the first. A wild pitch advanced the center fielder to second. Gill cashed in driving an RBI-single into centerfield brining home Cummins.
- West Alabama countered with a Jake Bush two-RBI single to left field to take a 2-1 lead.
- The Tigers tacked on two more in the second inning on a wild pitch and a Jack Cockrum RBI single to left, to increase the hosts' lead out to 4-1.
- Delta State cut the Tigers' lead in half with a junior Colton Welch RBI-double down the right field line to bring Thibodeaux home in the fourth inning.
- A two-RBI single from Jake Bush and an RBI double off of Tanner Rainey's bat in the following half inning pushed West Alabama's lead to 7-2.
- In the fifth, Holgate launched a three-run homerun over the fence in left-center field to make it 10-2.
- Thibodeaux picked up an RBI of his own in the sixth launching a sacrifice fly into deep right field to plate Pickard.
- The Statesmen loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh and scored four runs, but it wasn't enough to close overcome the nine-run Tigers lead. The frame saw four different Delta State batters drive in a run (Giambrone, Gill, Welch and Marc McMillian).
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:- Senior starting pitcher Jonathan Moody went 5.0 innings and gave up six earned runs on eight hits in game one.
- In game two, junior Austin Rice went 3.2 innings, gave up eight hits five earned runs and struck out five Tigers.
- Through Pickard's first three at bats in game one of the double header, the catcher/first baseman was 7-of his last-9 from the plate with seven RBI.
- In the first four games of the season the Green and White have out hit their opponent in each contest.
- Welch's three hits on the year have all been doubles.
- The 1-5 start is the worst Delta State record through six games.
WHAT'S NEXT- The Statesmen continue the series with West Alabama tomorrow. Scott Wyant and Keith Latham will have the coverage on Statesmen Sports Network, beginning Sunday at 12:45 p.m.