Final Score: #20 Florida Southern 13 | #23 Delta State 0
Final Score: #23 Delta State 9 | #33 Mount Olive 8
Date/Time: Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017 | 2:30 p.m. (GM 1) | 6 p.m. (GM 2)
Location: Lakeland, Fla. | Henley Field
Records: Statesmen 5-1 | Mocs 4-2 | Trojans 4-1
Series: Delta State leads 9-9 | 4-2 at Henley Field in Lakeland
Series: Statesmen lead series 1-0
LAKELAND, Fla. – Jason Popovich delivered an RBI single in the top of the ninth to help No. 23 Delta State University (5-1) claim a 9-8 win over No. 33 University of Mount Olive (4-1) on Saturday night at Henley Field. The Statesmen fell to No. 20 Florida Southern (4-2) 13-0 in game one of the day.
HOW IT HAPPENED (FSC)
- The Mocs took advantage of a Delta State error to take an early 1-0 lead in the first.
- Juwan Burney and Justin Nussbaum single to start inning. Jason Popovich's line drive tipped off the FSC pitchers glove into shortstop Omar Villaman's that started a 163 triple play to get the Mocs out of the inning.
- A Christian Maglich RBI single put FSC ahead 2-0 lead in the fourth.
- The Mocs scored three runs in the fifth and sixth innings and added four in the seventh and one in the eighth to close the scoring.
- Sierra went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and four RBIs and Mitch Reeves went 3-for-5 with three RBIs to lead the Mocs.
- Popovich, David Pimentel, Burney and Nussbaum accounted for the Statesmen four hits.
ON THE MOUND (FSC)
- Florida Southern starter Chase Pilato (1-0) scattered four hits with four strikeouts through seven scoreless innings for the win.
- Tre Hobbs (1-1) gave up five runs, three earned, on seven hits and had seven strikeouts to take the loss.
HOW IT HAPPENED (UMO)
- Mount Olive grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first when Carson McCurdy delivered a two-run single.
- The Statesmen tied the game with two runs in the third. Josh Russell doubled and scored on a Nick Morgan double and Morgan came home on a Lane RBI single.
- Emil Ellis singled and scored on a Josh Russell double down the left field line to put the Statesmen ahead 3-0 in the fourth.
- Gunner Tolston led off the fourth with a solo home run to right and David Mayo tripled home Ben Conor to help UMO claim a 4-3 lead.
- The Statesmen scored four runs in the sixth and one in the seventh build an 8-3 advantage. Popovich had an RBI triple and Lane and Ellis chipped in RBI singles in the sixth. Juwan Burney singled and scored on an Ellis single in the seventh.
- Mount Olive rallied with a run in the bottom of the seventh and three in the eighth to tie the game. Zach Mozingo singled home a run in the seventh and Rickey Surum hit a three-run home run to tie the game in the eighth.
- The Statesmen gained a 9-8 lead in the top of the ninth when Russell singled and scored on a Popovich RBI single to center with two outs.
- Zach Osbon sat the Trojans down in order in the ninth to seal the win for the Statesmen.
- Popovich went 3-for-6 with a triple and three RBI's as one of three Statesmen with three hits. Ellis finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Josh Russell was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
ON THE MOUND (UMO)
- Osbon (2-0) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings with a strikeout to close the game and earn the win.
- Braxton Shetley (0-1) allowed a run on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts over two innings to suffer the loss.
- The Statesmen pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts on the night. Starter Seth Birdsong struck out five, Brady Chambley struck out four and Osbon tallied one strikeout.
LEADING OFF
- Seven of the Statesmen nine runs were scored with two outs.
- The Statesmen were shutout was a 2-0 loss to West Florida on April 25, 2015 in Pensacola, Fla.
- Popovich's sixth inning triple was the first of his career.
- The Statesmen pitching staff recorded double digit strikeouts for the third time this season.
- Ellis' three hit outing was his third multi-hit game and his first three hit performance this season.
- Popovich's collected three hits for the third time this season while Josh Russell posted his first three hit game as a Statesmen.
- Tyler Milligan, Andy Borries, Jonathan Lindsey and Matthew Majeur saw their first game action as a Statesman against Florida Southern.
