PENSACOLA, Fla. -- The Delta State University baseball team scored three runs in the seventh inning and one in ninth, but a comeback bid ultimately came up short as the University of West Florida staved off the Diamond Statesmen 6-4 in game three to sweep the Gulf South Conference weekend series.
THE BASICS:
FINAL: West Florida 6 | #9/23 Delta State 4
DATE/TIME: Sun., March 1 |
Start: 1 p.m. |
TOG 3:15
LOCATION: Jim Spooner Field | Pensacola, Fla.
RECORDS: Statesmen 10-7 (4-5 GSC) | Argos (9-6, 7-2 GSC)
SERIES: Delta State leads the series 35-30-1
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Argonauts scored a pair of runs in the second inning to take an early 2-0 lead. With the bases full, Matthew Estrada singled down the left field line to score Miller Hancock and Jack Copley.
- UWF added another in the third inning when Cullan O'Shea scored on a balk by Wesley Grantham to make it 3-0.
- West Florida doubled its lead in the fourth, using a pair of RBI walks and a hit batsman to plate three. Brooks Mitchell and Justin Dunnam each walked with the bases full to bring in a run, and Copley was hit by a pitch with the bases full to make it 6-0.
- The Statesmen finally broke through in the seventh against the UWF bullpen, as a Hayden White single through the left side with the bases loaded plated Devin Fox and Darek Sargent with outs. Chad Ragland scored from third on a wild pitch to cap the inning and cut the lead to 6-3.
- That score held until the ninth inning, when Kevin Granger led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. He scored on a sac fly RBI by CJ Estave to right to make it 6-4, but a strikeout with two Statesmen aboard ended Delta State's comeback bid.
ON THE MOUND
- Jackson Rutledge (2-3) took the loss, working two-plus innings. He yielded three runs on four hits, walked four and struck out one Argo.
- Wesley Grantham came on in relief and gave up three runs on one hit with three walks in 1.1 innings of work.
- Trey Jones worked a third of an inning with two walks, and Kole Kittrell walked the only batter he faced.
- Charlie Darnall tossed three scoreless innings of relief with three walks and one strikeout.
- Tanner Propst worked 1.1 innings and struck out all four Argos hitters that he faced.
NOTABLES:
- The six combined runs for the Statesmen is the lowest amount scored in a series this season.
UP NEXT:
The Statesmen travel to Magnolia, Ark. on Tuesday, March 3 at 5 p.m. to take on Southern Arkansas.