CLEVELAND, Miss. -- No. 3/10 Delta State University (40-8) raced out to a 6-0 lead and then held on for a 7-5 win over the University of North Alabama (31-19) in game seven of the 2018 Gulf South Conference Baseball Championship, on Monday at Harvey Stadium-Ferriss Field.
Score: No. 1 Seed Delta State 7 | No. 5 Seed North Alabama 5
Start: 5:00 p.m.| TOG: 3:35
Date/Time: Mon., May 7, 2018
Location: Cleveland, Miss. | Harvey Stadium-Ferriss Field
Records: Statesmen 40-8 | Lions 31-19
Series: The Statesmen lead the series 56-40 and are 31-14 under
Mike Kinnison
HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Statesmen got a run in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead on an RBI groundout by
Josh Russell, scoring
Clay Casey.
• Delta State added three runs to its the total in the third inning.
Jason Popovich doubled and ended up at third on a misplayed ball in right field.
Emil Ellis singled home Popovich and later
scored on a
Nick Morgan sac-fly.
Zack Shannon singled and advanced to third on a wild pitch before crossing the plate on a
Juwan Burney single.
• A two-run fourth pushed the DSU lead to 6-0. Popovich started the inning with a single and scored on an Ellis single, while Ellis scored on a Casey sac-fly.
• The Lions cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the fourth on a Tate Mathis three-run home run.
• A run crossed the plate for UNA in the fifth and seventh innings to make the score 6-5. Ben Cooley was hit by a pitch and scored on a Kevin Brenning sac-fly to left. Lockett singled and
scored from first on a Brenning double in the seventh.
• Casey added an insurance run in the top of the ninth with a leadoff solo home run to left center, giving the Statesmen a 7-5 advantage.
ON THE MOUND
•
Tyler Walton (7-0) picked up the win, allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts in 3.1 innings pitched.
•
Peyton White tossed 1.2 scoreless innings, yielding one hit while striking out three.
•
Hunter Riggins (6) struck out the final batter of the game, with the bases loaded, to earn a one out save.
• UNA starter Shane Priest (6-4) gave up six runs on 11 hits with one strikeout and one walk to suffer the loss for the Lions.
• DSU starter
Melvin Frazier had four strikeouts while giving up three runs on three hits in 3.1 innings pitched.
NOTABLES
• Casey's ninth inning home run tied him with AJ Downs (2000) for seventh on the school's single-season home runs list with 16. The Melbourne, Fla., native finished the game 2-for-4.
• The win secured the 14th 40 win season for the Statesmen under Head Coach
Mike Kinnison.
•
Brian Lane finished the night 3-for-5 with an RBI to lead the Statesmen at the plate.
• Burney went 2-for-5 with an RBI and Ellis was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI.
• The win was the 11th straight win over North Alabama and the fourth in 2018.
UP NEXT
Delta State is scheduled to takes on Mississippi College on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in game eight of the 2018 Gulf South Conference Baseball Championship.
