SEARCY, Ark. – No. 5/8 Delta State University (29-6) used a six-run sixth inning to erase a 3-1 deficit and earn an 8-3 win over Harding University (20-19) on Tuesday night at Jerry Moore Field.
Score: #5/8 Delta State 8 | Harding University 3
Start: 6:00 p.m. |
TOG: 2:41
Date/Time: Sun., April 8, 2018
Location: Searcy, Ark. | Jerry Moore Field
Records: Statesmen 29-6 | Bisons 20-19
Series: Statesmen lead 42-7 and are 37-7 under Kinnison
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Delta State got on the scoreboard early with a run in the top of the first. Jason Popovich singled and Brian Lane reached on a fielder's choice before scoring on a Clay Casey single up the middle.
- Two runs crossed the plate in the third and one run scored in the fifth to give Harding a 3-1 lead. Zach Beasley's RBI single scored Brendan Perrett and Connor Kelly singled home Nolen Fertig. Luke Van Dover had an RBI single in the fifth.
- The Statesmen took the lead back with a six-run sixth inning. Lane was hit by a pitch and Zack Shannon made the Bison pay with a two-run home run to right. Casey walked and scored on a Justin Nussbaum single. Nussbaum and Juwan Burney, who singled, scored on Popovich's double down the left field line and Emil Ellis double home Popovich.
- Morgan singled and scored on an Ellis single in the eighth to make the score 8-3.
ON THE MOUND
- Tyler Walton (6-0) gave up a run on three hits with a strikeout in two innings pitched to earn the win for the Statesmen.
- Nash Thomas (1-1) gave up three runs on one hit as the pitcher of record for the Bisons.
- Hunter Riggins yielded two hits in two scoreless innings for the Statesmen.
- Jason Lott recorded two strikeouts tossing a scoreless ninth inning.
NOTABLES
- The Statesmen have scored a run in the first inning in four straight games, improving to 13-3 when scoring in the first inning and 21-3 when scoring first.
- Popovich and Ellis had two hits and two RBIs apiece and Morgan had two hits and with an RBI.
- Shannon finished 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and Casey was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
- Shannon's sixth-inning home run was his 22nd of the season and 43rd of his career. He moved ahead of Dee Haynes (2000) for second on DSU's single-season home runs list and past Jud Thigpen (2001-2004) for second in career home runs.
- The Statesmen had 13 hits for their 19th double-digit hit game this season.
UP NEXT
Delta State hosts a Gulf South Conference series against Lee University starting with a doubleheader on Saturday at 2 p.m.