MILLINGTON, Tenn.
– The University of North Alabama managed
just six hits and Delta State scored six
runs on 15 hits as the Lions dropped a 6-2
decision in the opening round of the 2008
Gulf South Conference Baseball Tournament at
USA Stadium.
UNA was held
hitless until the fourth inning and didn’t
get a runner in scoring position until the
fifth inning against DSU pitcher Kenny
Smalley.
North Alabama,
29-20, will meet the loser of the West
Alabama-Ouachita Baptist game at 4:15 Sunday
at USA Stadium in an elimination game. The
Lions will not only be fighting to their
season alive but will also be trying to
extend the school’s streak of 19 straight
seasons with 30 or more wins.
Delta State
improved its record to 41-8 overall and ran
its winning streak to 23 straight games. The
Statesmen advance to meet the winner of the
West UWA-OBU game on Sunday at 7:30.
Delta State got
a run in the first inning as Hunter Jobes
had a leadoff double and Devin Goodwin
followed with an RBI single. The Statesmen
extended their lead in the second inning
when Michael Niemann walked with one out,
moved up to second on an error by the
pitcher and scored on a single by Anthony
Palasani.
Smalley started
strong, retiring the first ten Lion batters
in order before Collin Murphy singled in the
fourth inning.
Delta State ran
its lead to 3-0 in the fifth as J.T. Taylor
had a leadoff triple and Jobes followed with
an RBI single that chased Lion starter
Branden Tepe. UNA reliever Matt Vandenheuvel
came on to stop the rally, allowing a single
before retiring the next three Statesmen
batters.
DSU extended
its lead with two runs in the seventh on an
RBI triple from Rickey Noland and an RBI
single by Steven Oswald. In the eighth, the
Statesmen got three straight hits and
platted another run for a 6-0 advantage.
UNA made a run
in the ninth inning as Qualon Millender ad
Collin Murphy walked. The Statesmen then
pulled Smalley for reliever Levi Bishop. He
retired Jeffery Ritter before throwing a
wild pitch that allowed both runners to move
up. Josh Graham then ended the shutout with
a sacrifice fly that scored Millender. A
single by pinch-hitter Jarrett Shepherd
scored Murphy to make it 6-2 and Cole
Mitchell followed with a single to keep the
threat alive. Bishop ended the game with a
strikeout of Matt Horton.
Smalley
improved to 8-2 with the win. Tepe falls to
4-6 for UNA.
UNA first
baseman Josh Graham went 0-for-3 in the
game, ending his 19-game hitting streak.
Quallon Millender also went 0-for-3 for the
Lions, snapping his 13-game hitting streak.
The meeting
between UNA and Delta State was the 18th
contest between the two schools in GSC
Tournament history, with each team now
having won nine.
Printable Game
Statistics - Game 49 - Delta State (Gulf
South Conference Tournament)
