Box Score MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Seth Birdsong tossed eight strong innings with a career-high eight strikeouts to lead No. 13 Delta State University (25-8, 16-5 GSC) to an 8-0 win over Christian Brothers (9-26, 4-17 GSC) on Saturday at Nadicksbernd Field. The win helped the Statesmen claim the three-game series over the Bucs.
 
Final Score: #13 Delta State 8 | Christian Brothers 0
Date/Time: Saturday, April 2, 2017 | Start: 1:00 p.m. | TOG 3:05
Location: Memphis, Tenn. | Nadicksbernd Field
Records: Statesmen 25-8, 16-5 GSC | Bucs 9-26, 4-17 GSC
Series: Delta State leads the series 89-10 | Kinnison vs. CBU 59-2
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Brian Lane singled with one out and later scored on a wild pitch to give DSU a 1-0 in the top of the third.
• CBU loaded the bases in the bottom of the third only to see Statesmen starting pitcher Seth Birdsong punched out two hitters via two strikeouts to end the threat.
• Delta State scored three runs in the top of the fourth to grow the lead to 4-0. Justin Nussbaum walked and scored on a passed ball and Jason Popovich walked and scored on a Lane RBI single. Clay Casey walked with the bases loaded to plate Juwan Burney, who walked.
• Popovich belted his third home run of the season to give the Statesmen a 5-0 advantage in the top of the eighth.
• The Green-and-White added three runs in the top of the ninth. Casey singled to start the inning and after advancing to second on a balk, scored on a Dakota Glore pinch-hit RBI single to give DSU a 6-0 lead. Glore came home on an Emil Ellis double before coming home on a Nick Morgan double.

 
ON THE MOUND

• Seth Birdsong (5-1) scattered six hits and recorded eight strikeouts over six scoreless innings to earn his third straight win.
• Will Rutledge (1-2) worked 3.1 yielding two runs on four hits with three walks to take the loss for the Bucs.
• Shannon did not allow a hit in a scoreless ninth to close the game for the Statesmen.

 
NOTEABLES

• Lane finished 3-for-5 with an RBI.
• Ellis went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and one RBI while Popovich went 2-for-5 with a solo home run.
• Shannon's first inning single extended his hitting streak to 14 games and his consecutive games reaching base to 26.
• Birdsong's eight strikeouts set a season and career high and has pitched eight innings for the third straight game.
• Clay Casey's single to left in the ninth extended his hitting streak to 16 games.
• The Statesmen have won nine straight GSC games since falling to West Georgia on March 13.
• The shutout was the second of the season for the Statesmen and the first since a 1-0 win over Harding (2.5).
• Delta State extended its winning streak over CBU to 47 games and have won 11 of its last 12 games.

 
UP NEXT                                          

• Delta State remains on the road against Ouachita Baptist University on Tuesday at 3 p.m. in Arkadelphia, Ark.