QUINCY, Illinois – Senior
Zack Shannon hit a home run and had three RBIs while
Seth Birdsong tossed five-plus shutout innings with six strikeouts to help the top ranked Delta State University baseball earn a 7-0 win over No. 13 Southern Indiana on Saturday. Shannon went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run in the fifth inning while Birdsong, who carried a no hitter into the sixth, gave up one hit and fanned six Eagles in 5.2 innings pitched.
Final Score: # 1 Delta State 7 | #13 Southern Indiana 0
Date/Time: Sat., Feb. 17, 2018 |
Start 2:00 p.m. |
TOG 4:10
Location: Quincy, Ill. | Quincy Baseball Stadium
Records: Statesmen 5-1 | Eagles 0-1
Series: Delta State leads 1-0
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Nick Morgan hit a solo home run to right field with one out in the second inning to put the Statesmen up 1-0.
- Brian Lane was hit by a pitch with two outs and Zack Shannon hit a home run to right field to make the score 3-0 in the fifth.
- The Statesmen added two runs in the seventh to build the lead to 5-0. Justin Nussbaum singled and stole second and Jamell Newson walked. Brian Lane hit an RBI single through the right side to score Nussbaum, and Shannon singled home Newson.
- Two more runs crossed the plate in the eighth to push the Statesmen out to a 7-0 lead. Josh Russell singled and scored on a Nussbaum double to right, followed by a Jason Popovich single to plate Nussbaum and cap the scoring.
ON THE MOUND
- Three Statesmen hurlers combined for the two-hit shutout.
- Seth Birdsong (1-0), carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning, and allowed just one hit with six strikeouts against two walks to pick up the win.
- Jonathan Lindsay gave up one hit and registered two strikeouts with one walk in 2.1 innings in relief of Birdsong.
- Freshman Cole Morgan tossed a scoreless ninth with a strikeout to close the game.
- USI starter Devin Williams (0-1) allowed one run on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks over four inning to suffer the loss.
NOTEABLES
- Birdsong's 5.2 innings and six strikeouts were both season-highs.
- Statesmen pitchers have recorded nine or more strikeouts in three straight games, including a 15 strikeout performance against Nebraska-Kearney (2.10.18).
- Morgan's ninth inning appearance on the mound was the freshman's first action of his DSU career.
- Shannon had a season-high three hits and his three RBIs tied a season-high.
- Shannon's home run was the 22nd of his career and his three runs driven in gives him 98 career RBIs.
- Morgan went 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI and Nussbaum was 2-for-4 with an RBI double as the only other Statesmen with multiple hits.
- Head Coach Mike Kinnison notched career win number 902 (902-289-2).
- The meeting with the Eagles was the first between the two schools.
UP NEXT
- Delta State plays a doubleheader against No.16/9 Quincy University on Sunday at 12 p.m.
