CLEVELAND, Miss. — No. 11 Delta State University baseball (1-1) opened the 2020 season and the
Rodney Batts era with a doubleheader spilt against East Central (1-1) on Saturday at Harvey Stadium Ferriss Field.
Hunter Riggins tossed a five shutout innings with eight strikeouts to lead the Statesmen to a 14-4 win in game one while East Central used a four-run fifth inning to win the nightcap, 4-3.
THE BASICS
GAME 1 FINAL: #11 Delta State 14 | East Central 4 (7 inn.)
GAME 1 FINAL: East Central 4 | #11 Delta State 1
Date/Time: Sat., Feb. 1 | GM 1 Start: 12:07 p.m. | TOG: 2:44 | GM Start: 3:30 pm | TOG: 1:55
Location: Harvey Stadium-Ferriss Field | Cleveland, Miss.
Records: Statesmen 1-1 | Tigers 1-1
Series: Delta State leads the series 5-1
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 1)
- Delta State used a three-run first inning to take an quick 3-0 lead. CJ Estave had a RBI double and Hayden White drove in a pair of runs with a double.
- The Statesmen added a run in the second and two runs in the third. A run scored on a Estave single and two runs came home on a Jake Barlow single down the third base line.
- East Central scored three runs in the sixth to cut the deficit to 8-3.
- The Statesmen added two runs in the fifth and six runs in the sixth to build a 14-3 lead. Barlow and Wyatt Pratt had RBI singles in the fifth. Pratt, Kevin Granger, Chad Ragland and Barlow had RBI singles in the sixth.
ON THE MOUND (GAME 1)
- Hunter Riggins (1-0) recorded eight strikeouts against one while allowing no runs on three hits over five innings for the win.
- Jonny Chavez (0-1) gave up six runs, five earned, on six hits with a strikeout in 2.1 innings to take the loss for ECU.
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 2)
- Estave reached on a fielder's choice and after advancing to third and scored after a pair of wild pitches.
- The Tigers took advantage of two errors to plate four unearned runs and take a 4-1 lead om fifth.
- The Statesmen scored two runs to cut the ECU lead to 4-3 in the home half of the fifth. Jared Cramer belted a leadoff solo home run to left and Darek Sargent reached on a bunt single and scored on a Jake Barlow sac-fly to left field.
- Delta State put the tying run aboard with one out in the sixth and went down in order in the seventh.
ON THE MOUND (GAME 2)
- Spencer Johnston tossed a complete game, allowing three runs on six hits with nine strikeouts against one walk.
- DSU starter Jackson Rutledge (0-1) gave up four unearned runs on a hit with four strikeouts as the pitcher of record for the Statesmen.
- Kole Kittrell tossed one scoreless inning with a walk while yielding two hits.
- Tanner Propst had three strikeouts in 1.2 innings to close out the game on the mound for DSU.
NOTABLES
- Ten Statesmen made their debut in Saturday's doubleheader.
- Ragland went 3-for-4 with four runs scored, a double and one RBI in game one.
- Barlow and Hayden White each went 2-for-5 with three RBIs while Wyatt Pratt was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, two RBIs and a double.
- Ragland led the Statesmen with two hits and Cramer belted the Statesmen's first home run of the season in game two.
UP NEXT
• The Statesmen and East Central wrap up the series with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.