Delta State Wins Three-Game Series With Lee 2-1

  • Sunday, February 26, 2017
When the weather heats up, so does the baseball bats! Such was the case on Sunday afternoon as always potent Delta State unloaded for 11 runs over the first four innings and then turned back a late charge by Lee to record a 13-5 victory and claim the three-game Gulf South Conference series, 2-1.
 
“It doesn't get any easier with two-mid week games versus Bellarmine and then a big road trip to West Georgia,” pointed out Lee head coach Mark Brew. The Flames will host the Kentucky school in single nine-inning games on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Tuesday’s first pitch is slated for 4 p.m. followed by a 2 p.m. start on Wednesday.
 
The visiting Statesmen went right to work in the top of the first inning when Juwan Burney stroked a solo homer over the left-field wall. The inning continued when Zack Shannon doubled to left-center scoring Brian Lane. Nick Morgan capped off the four-run inning with a single that plated two more runs.
 
Shannon ripped a four-bagger over the left-field wall, with Burney aboard, plating two runs and increasing the margin to 6-0. The Flames fought back in the bottom of the second when Tyler Payne walked with the bases loaded to plate Nate Wierzgac.
 
Delta State put the contest out of reach with four more runs in the third inning. Burney blasted his second homer of the afternoon, scoring two teammates and pushing the lead to 10-1. A solo run made it an 11-1 contest before Lee fought back with four runs in the fourth inning.
 
Wierzgac’s first homer of the year scored Miguel Pimentel. Payne continued his fine day with a RBI single that scored Jordan Howard. Geremy Walton’s one-base knock plated Payne to make it a 10-5 game.
 
“Delta State kept us on our heels from the start today,” explained coach Brew. “We have struggled too much in the early innings this year, and in particular the last two Sunday conference games. It's tough to expect your offense to bounce back all the time. We aren't minimizing any of the big innings we are giving up and our inability to get off the field with two outs has been hurting us.”
 
The coach added, “Additionally, our infield defense had struggled recently as well.” Two key errors helped contribute to the Statesmen’s offensive explosion. “Offensively, we are striking out way too much. Tyler Payne had a nice week at the plate and we need to shake up the line-up to get some more production at the top of the order,” noted Brew.
 
The Flames collected seven hits off three Delta State hurlers.  Payne had two RBI, walked twice and scored a run in the loss. Wierzgac drove in two runs and scored a pair while Walton, Peyton Meeker and Pimentel had one hit each. Pimentel scored Lee’s other run.
 
The Statesmen collected 11 hits off eight Lee hurlers. Wes Albert was the starting and losing pitcher. In two-thirds of an inning he allowed eight hits and two earned runs. Corbin Lamb followed with two innings of work giving up three hits and five earned runs. Michael Ray followed with two-thirds of an inning allowing one earned run. It was Rob Gustitus who had the best outing for the Flames. In three innings he did not allow a hit and struck out five. Jay Prior, Winston Whitener and John Reese Gilmer rounded out the mound duties for the Flames.
 
Burney carried the big stick for the winners, driving in four runs and scoring four times. Shannon followed closely with three RBI and three runs scored, while David Pimentel and Nick Morgan had the other RBI for the winners.
 
Seth Birdsong drew the starting pitching assignment for the Statesmen. He worked 4.1 innings and allowed seven hits and five earned runs. Peyton White came for 3.2 innings and struck out seven Flames while walking two. He picked up the pitching win. Shannon also went to the mound closing out the Flames in the bottom of the ninth.
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