CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Juwan Burney belted two home runs in a 3-for-4, four RBI performance to lead No. 23 Delta State University (10-3, 4-2 GSC) to 13-5 win over No. 21 Lee University (11-4, 3-3 GSC) on Sunday at Olympic Field. The Statesmen claimed the series 2-1 with the win.
Final Score: #23 Delta State 13 | #21 Lee University 5
Date: Wed., Feb. 26, 2017 |
Game Time: 12 pm (CT)
Location: Cleveland, Tenn. | Olympic Field Field
Records: Statesmen 10-3, 4-2 GSC | Flames 11-4, 3-3 GSC
Series: Delta State lead 8-4
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Statesmen took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. Juwan Burney hit a solo home run to start the scoring. Zack Shannon doubled home Brian Lane and Justin Nussbaum delivered a two-out RBI single.
- Burney singled and scored on a Shannon home run to left field to make the score 6-0 in the second.
- Tyler Payne drew a bases loaded walk to cut the DSU lead to 11-1 in the bottom of the second. DSU starter Seth Birdsong struck out Spencer Mossburg to end the threat..
- Delta State added four in the third and one in the fourth to build an 11-1 lead. Popovich singled home Dakota Glore and Burney belted a three-run home run to left in the third. Shannon reached on a fielding error and scored on a David Pimentel RBI single to left in the fourth.
- Nathan Wierzac hit a two-run home run and Payne and Walton had RBI singles to cut the DSU lead to 11-5 in the bottom of the fourth.
- The Statesmen had runners at second and third with one out in the fifth but Brian Lane flew out to right field and Nussbaum was thrown out at the plate trying to advance home on the play to end the inning.
- The Green-and-White took advantage of two walks and two hit batters to add two runs and take a 13-5 lead in the eighth. Clay Casey was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and David Pimentel had a sac-fly. .
- Peyton White relieved Birdsong in the fifth retiring and combined with Shannon to retire 14 of the last 16 batters, including eight strikeouts to close the game.
ON THE MOUND
- White (1-0) struck out seven against two walks in 3.2 scoreless innings for the win.
- Shannon recorded a strikeout in a scoreless ninth to close the game.
- Lee starter Wes Albert (1-2) gave up four-runs, two earned, on four hits with a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning to suffer the loss.
NOTABLES:
- The Statesmen are now 9-1 when scoring the first run of a game.
- Delta State scored eight of its 13 runs with two outs and now have scored 40-of-81 runs with two outs through 12 games.
- Burney finished the day 3-for-4 with a season-high four-RBIs and two home runs.
- The Statesmen pitching staff recorded a season-high 12 strikeouts, eclipsing the old mark of 11 against Florida Southern (2.10). The 12 strikeouts marked the fourth time this season the Statesmen staff recorded double figure strikeouts. Birdsong recorded four strikeouts followed by White with seven and Shannon with one.
- Shannon went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs and Popovich went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored for the Statesmen.
- The Statesmen improved 6-3 against opponents ranked in either various Division II baseball national polls
- Delta State improved to 4-2 against the Flames at Olympic Field.
WHAT'S NEXT
Delta State travels to Mississippi Valley State for a single game on Wed., at 1 p.m. in Itta Bena, Miss/, before opening a three-game GSC series against Union University on March 4-5 in Cleveland, Miss..
