CLEVELAND, Tennessee. – Delta State University (12-11, 9-6 GSC) used a four-run ninth to erase an 8-7 deficit en route to an 11-8 win over Lee University (18-13-1, 9-11-1 GSC) at Olympic Field on Friday. A
Landon Thibodeaux RBI single tied the game followed by a two-out, two-run single by
Erick Santiago and an
Ethan Gill RBI single to highlight Statesmen ninth.
INSIDE THE MATCHUPFinal: Delta State 11, Lee University 8.
Records: Statesmen (12-11, 9-6 GSC), Flames (18-13-1, 9-11-1 GSC)
Location: Olympic Field | Cleveland, Tennessee
Series: DSU leads the series 3-1
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@DSUBaseball HOW IT HAPPENED- The Statesmen grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Jacob Swiney doubled with one out and scored on a Ben Pickard RBI double.
- Lee answered with four runs in the bottom of the first. Andrew Nelo doubled in a run to tie the game 1-1 and later scored on a Trent Hill single. Ben Holland singled and scored on a Luke Toms single and Hill scored on a Chris Adams sac-fly to left to make the score 4-1.
- Trent Giambrone singled and Matt Barrett reached on a fielder's choice. Giambrone advanced to third and Matt Barrett to second on a ground out before scoring on a Brandon Cummins single make it a 4-3 game.
- Siosi Poti walked to lead off the bottom of the second and later scored on a Nelo single up the middle to give Lee a 5-3 lead.
- Ben Pickard launched a solo home run to lead off the fifth and cut the deficit to 5-4. Ethan Gill was hit by a pitch and scored on a Colton Welch double to tie the game. Landon Thibodeaux doubled and scored with two outs on a Barrett single to left to give the Statesmen a 6-5 lead.
- Nelo delivered a one-out single and scored on a Ben Holland home run to left that put Lee back in front 7-6. Hill walked and scored on a two-out single by Adams to make the score 8-6.
- The Statesmen cut the lead to 8-7 on a Welch solo home run in the top of the seventh.
- Gill singled and Pickard walk start the Statesmen ninth. Welch reached on a fielder's choice and Landon Thibodeaux's single through the right side tied the game 8-8. Giambrone walked to load the bases and Barrett struck out for the second out of the inning. Erick Santiago's singled up the middle scored Thibodeaux and Jonathan Andrews followed by a Swiney single up the middle to cap the ninth.
- Nick Goza entered the game with one and no outs in the ninth, getting a strikeout and two ground outs for his fifth save.
- Witt Haggard (1-0) picked up the win in relief of starter Drew Milligan. Haggard had five strikeouts and did not yield a run or hit in three innings pitched.
- Chevis Hoover (3-2) was the pitcher of record for Lee, allowing two runs on one hit with a walk in relief.
- Ben Pickard went 3-for-5 with a double and a home run and two RBIs. Thibodeaux and Swiney had three hits apiece followed by Cummins and Welch with two hits.
STAT OF THE GAME- The comeback was the Statesmen fourth comeback win in six game and the second when trailing going into the ninth.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE- The Statesmen have won four straight and five of their last seven games.
- Delta State moved to 3-2 the first game of GSC series this season.
- Statesmen Head Coach Mike Kinnison earned win number 796 against UAM and is now four wins away from 800 victories.
- Several Statesmen extended streaks against Lee. Gill now has reached base safely in 20 straight games and also his hitting streak to six games. Swiney extended reached base safely in 17 straight games and along with an 11-game hitting streak.
- Santiago's two-run single in the ninth were his first game winning RBIs as a Statesmen.
UP NEXT- The Statesmen close out the three-game series against Lee with a doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m. CDT
