FINAL GAME: Delta State 4 (2-5, 1-1), UWA 3 (7-4, 1-1),
DELTA STATE STARTERS: Cummins (CF), Giambrone (2B), Pickard (1B), Gil (3B), Thibodeaux (LF), Barrett (C), McMillian (DH), Twitty (RF), Skelton (SS); Milligan (LHP)
WEST ALABAMA STARTERS: Madden (CF), Cockrum (C), Holgate (3B), Kieffer (DH), Bush (RF), Rainey (1B), Mendez (2B), Chamblee (LF), Bolte (SS); Stubblefield (RHP)
THE BASICS: Delta State scored three runs in the eighth and ninth to top West Alabama 4-3 in the series finale. The Statesmen got another strong outing from southpaw
Drew Milligan, as the senior went 7.0 innings, giving up four hits, while striking out seven hitters in a no decision.
HOW IT HAPPENED:- Junior designated hitter Marc McMillian led off the third inning with a solo shot over the left field wall to break the scoreless tie.
- Milligan held the Tigers without a hit for the first 5.2 innings before giving up back-to-back singles to Jack Cockrum and Mitch Holgate.
- The hosts broke through in the seventh when Adam Chamblee bolted an RBI single up the middle to bring home Jake Bush and level the score at 1-1.
- With two outs in the eighth junior Ben Pickard reached base on a Tigers error to keep the frame alive. The Statesmen capitalized, as junior Ethan Gill belted an RBI-double into deep left field giving DSU the 2-1 edge.
- The Green and White weren't done there, as Matt Barrett continued the damage driving an RBI-single to left bringing Gill home. Barrett's RBI single extended the Statesmen lead to two, 3-1.
- West Alabama countered in the bottom half of the frame scoring a run on a balk and a Bush RBI single.
- The Statesmen scored the winning run in the ninth off of a hard hit ball from junior Trent Giambrone's bat that forced a Tigers' error and bringing home senior Hunter Twitty. The run would stand tall as Delta State topped West Alabama 4-3 to win its first GSC contest.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:- Without giving up a run in the first 6.2 innings today Milligan began the year with 13.0 scoreless frames.
- The Statesmen scored all three of their final runs with two outs in both the eighth and ninth. All three runs scored in the final two frames were unearned.
- All four hits from the Green and White came from four different hitters.
- In his fourth relief appearance of the year, Nick Goza earned the win going 2.0 innings, giving up one hit, one run and struck out three.
WHAT'S NEXT- The Statesmen open up play at Ferriss Field on Wednesday, when they welcome Harding with first pitch set for 3 p.m. Matt Jones will have the coverage on Statesmen Sports Network, beginning at 2:45 p.m.