LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The No. 6 seed Delta State University Statesmen baseball team (23-17) plated three runs in the fifth and seventh innings and held on for a 7-4 victory over the No. 5 seeded Valdosta State Blazers (28-19) in an elimination game at the Gulf South Conference Tournament on Sunday, May 3 at Tartt Field.
Â
INSIDE THE MATCHUPFinal Score: Delta State , 7 Valdosta State 4
Records: Statesmen (23-17), Valdosta State (28-18)
Location: Tartt Field | Livingston, Ala.
Series: VSU leads series 19-18: Last Meeting: L, 4-3 on March 1, 2015 in Valdosta, Ga.
Video Highlights: GoStatesmen TV on YouTube
Get Social: @DSUStatesmen |
@DSUScores |
@DSUBaseball |
Facebook.com/DSUStatesmen |
Instagram @DSUAthleticsHOW IT HAPPENED - DSU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on a bases loaded RBI single by Colton Welch, scoring Jacob Swiney.
- The Blazers responded in the fifth, plating a pair on an RBI single by Mike Reed.
- Ethan Gill helped the Statesmen regain the lead in the bottom of the fifth with his team-best 10th home run of the season, a three run shot to left field.
- DSU broke the game open in the bottom of the seventh, sending eight batters to the plate, collecting three runs, on three hits, while taking advantage of a VSU error.
- The Blazers struck back in the top of the eighth with a two run home run by Bryant Hayman, his 13th round-tripper of the season.
- Trent Giambrone (2-for-4) and Gill (2-for-4) lead the Statesmen, recording two hits apiece.
- Jonathan Moody (5-2) allowed four runs, two earned, with six strikeouts and one walk to pick up the win.
- Nick Goza (7) picked up the save, allowing one hit in two innings. With the save, Goza is now tied for fourth in DSU single-season history.
- VSU starter Kyle Andre (6-5) allowed seven runs, six earned on seven hits with six strikeouts in seven innings.Â
Â
STAT OF THE GAME- 5 - The Statesmen prevailed despite having a season high five errors.
Â
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE- With the victory, DSU avoided going 0-2 in the GSC Tournament for the first time since 2010, falling to Valdosta State (5-4) and Alabama Huntsville (20-18).
- Today's contest marked the team-best fourth time that Gill has collected four RBIs in a game.
- With a seventh inning double, Landon Thibodeaux has now reached base safely in 22 straight contests. Gill (27) and Jacob Swiney (25) have the longest streaks of the season for DSU.
- Goza's seventh save moved into a fifth place tie on the career list with nine.
Â
UP NEXTThe Statesmen will play a second elimination game against a yet to be determined opponent on Monday, May 4. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT.
Â
Â