CLINTON, Mississippi – Ben Pickard and
Matt Barrett combined for 10 RBIs to lead Delta State University (17-13, 12-8 GSC) to a 17-10 win over Mississippi College (12-27, 3-22 GSC) on Sunday at Frierson Field. Pickard hit a grand slam, Barrett hit a two-run home run and
Brandon Cummins had a solo home run to help the Statesmen clinch their fifth straight Gulf South Conference series.
INSIDE THE MATCHUPFinal: Delta State 17, Mississippi College 10
Records: Statesmen (17-13, 12-8 GSC), Choctaws (12-27, 4-22 GSC)
Location: Frierson Field | Clinton, Mississippi
Series: DSU leads 118-49-1 | 52-25-2 at Mississippi College
Video Highlights: GoStatesmen TV on YouTubeGet Social: @DSUStatesmen |
@DSUScores |
@DSUBaseball HOW IT HAPPENED - Mississippi College struck for four runs in the first on four hits to take an early 4-0 lead. Caleb Upton and Logan Ferrell delivered RBI singles and Hunter Bolin drove singled home two runs.
- The Statesmen answered with nine runs in the second to take a 9-4 lead. Matt Barrett doubled in two runs and Jacob Swiney was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to cut the deficit to 4-3. One batter later, Ben Pickard belted his second grand slam of the season and Trent Giambrone tripled in two runs to cap the inning.
- Delta State added a run in the third and four in the fourth to build a 14-4 advantage. Brandon Cummins belted a solo home run in the third. Barrett had an RBI single and a Pickard sac-fly scored two runs scored on a ground out and a fielding error in the fourth.
- Giambrone had a two out single and scored on Barrett's fifth home run of the season to increase the lead to 16-4.
- Mississippi College scored a run in the fifth and two in the sixth to cut the lead to 16-7. Toler Robinson had an RBI double in the fifth. Caleb Upton singled in a run and another run scored on a ground out in the sixth.
- Cummins delivered a two-out single and scored on a Swiney single to right to give the Statesmen a 17-7 lead in the eighth.
- The Choctaws cut the lead to 17-10 on a Ferrell three-run double in the eighth.
- Justin Vincent (3-2) worked three innings, yielding three runs on five hits with two strikeouts to get credited with the win.
- Taylor Olsen (2-5) allowed eight runs on four hits with two walks and a strikeout to take the loss for the Choctaws.
- Pickard finished the day 3-for-4 with a double, a grand slam and five RBIs; Barrett was 3-for-5 with a two-run home run and five RBIs; Giambrone went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and three RBIs.
STAT OF THE GAME- The Statesmen had 17 hits on the afternoon with 8-of-9 starters collecting at least one hit.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE- Statesmen Head Coach Mike Kinnison earned win number 802 to improve to 802-253-2 at DSU.
- Delta State has won five straight GSC series since getting swept at Valdosta State (3.1).
- The Statesmen have won five of their last six games, outscoring opponents 75-20 during the six-game stretch.
- The 17 runs marked the 11th time the Statesmen have scored 10-plus runs in a game.
- Five Statesmen collected two-plus RBIs: Pickard (5), Barrett (5), Swiney (3), Giambrone (2), Cummins (2)
- Pickard drove in five runs for the second time this season and notched his 10th multi-RBI game of the season.
- Barrett's drove in five runs for his fifth multi-RBI outing.
UP NEXT- Delta State travels to Southern Arkansas for the first of two midweek games on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Magnolia, Arkansas. Following the SAU tilt, the Statesmen will host Mississippi Valley State at Ferriss Field on Wednesday at 6 p.m.