HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Jason Popovich and
Josh Russell combined to drive in seven runs to lead No. 23 Delta State University (16-7, 8-5 GSC) t the to a 13-8 win over the University of Alabama Huntsville (10-13, 6-7 GSC) on Saturday at Charger Park.
Final Score: #23 Delta State 13 | Alabama Huntsville 8
Date/Time: Sat., March 18, 2017 | 5:57 p.m. |
Time of Game: 3:43
Location: Huntsville, Ala. | Charger Park
Records: Statesmen 16-7, 8-5 | Chargers 10-13, 6-7 GSC
Series: Delta State leads 43-18
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Statesmen pushed two runs across in the top of the first. Juwan Burney singled and scored on a Zack Shannon double and Shannon later scored on a Josh Russell single.
- Alabama Huntsville plated two unearned runs in the bottom of the first on run scoring singles by Trey Mathis and Nolen Ramsey to tie the game, 2-2.
- Nick Morgan was hit by a pitch to start the top of the fourth and scored on a Burney ground out RBI to give DSU a 3-2 lead.
- UAH tied the game, 3-3, in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI triple by Justin Ware.
- A Russell sac-fly broke the tie game and kick started a nine-run fifth for the Green-and-White to make the score 12-3. Ellis delivered and RBI triple to center and scored on a Nick Morgan single. Jason Popovich belted a three-run home run to right followed by an RBI double from Casey and a two-run double by Russell.
- A.J. Walden hit a solo home run to right field to cut the Statesmen lead to 12-4 in the bottom of the fifth.
- Delta State answered with a run in the top of the sixth to take a 13-4 lead. Popovich walked to lead off inning and scored on a Shannon RBI single.
- UAH added a run in the seventh and three runs in the ninth to wrap up the scoring on the night.
ON THE MOUND
- Statesmen starter Corey Beard (4-0) worked eight innings giving up five runs, three earned, on eight hits with six strikeouts to earn his second straight win.
- Jake Bracewell (0-3) gave up eight runs, five earned on a six hits with two strikeouts to take the loss for UAH.
NOTEABLES
- Russell's drove in a career-high four runs while going 2-for-4 with a double.
- Popovich went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. The junior leads the team with 11 multi-hit games and has three multi-RBI outings.
- Shannon went 3-for-6 with three RBIs and three runs scored, marking is 10th multi-RBI and seventh multi-hit game. Shannon also increased his reached base streak to 17 games.
- Casey went 3-for-6 with two doubles and one RBI for his sixth multi-hit game.
- The Statesmen improved to 7-2 when scoring in the first inning and 12-2 when scoring first.
- Delta State scored five of its 13 runs with two outs and have scored 63 runs with two outs this season.
- The Statesmen improved to 11-7 in Huntsville, Ala., and lead the all-time series 43-18.
UP NEXT
- Delta State and Alabama Huntsville wrap up the three-game set with a doubleheader on Sunday at 12 p.m. in Huntsville, Ala.