Contact: Harold Jameson
Date: May 8, 2004
Millington, Tenn. - Delta State University accepted seven gift runs in a nightmarish second-inning for Southern Arkansas University and went on to outscore the Muleriders 16-11 in the Gulf South Conference Baseball Tournament here Saturday.
DSU, the third-ranked team in NCAA Division II, didn’t need any freebies to be competitive. The Statesmen improved to 46-9 while the ‘Riders fell to 42-12. SAU and DSU were the only unbeaten teams left in the tourney as DSU had advanced by squeaking past the University of West Alabama 11-10 in 11 innings and the University of Central Arkansas 6-5, while SAU trimmed Valdosta State University 4-2 and the University of West Florida 8-4.
The ‘Riders, ranked 16th in NCAA Division II, took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning but the Statesmen tied it in the bottom half. SAU scored two more in the top of the second for a 4-2 lead but DSU poured seven runs across the plate in the bottom half, 9-4. Delta added three more in the third, 12-4, each team scored a run in both the fourth and fifth innings, SAU got another in the sixth and DSU two, 16-7. Neither scored in the seventh, but SAU scored twice in the eighth and twice in the ninth in a comeback attempt that fell short.
DSU had 16 runs, 17 hits, and three errors, and SAU 11 runs, 16 hits, and three errors. For the Statesmen, third baseman Mark Broome and first baseman Bert Pickard had triples and Broome, Pickard, and shortstop Eric Patten had doubles. Second baseman Clay Smith was four for five, scored twice, and had an RBI. Pickard and outfielder Jud Thigpen were three for five, scored twice, and drove in two runs each. Broome was three for six, scored three times, and drove in three runs and designated hitter Chris Reed was two for six, scored, and drove in three runs.
For the ‘Riders, catcher Ross Boudreaux hit his 13th home run of the season that put SAU ahead 2-0 in the first inning and outfielder Chipper Crum clubbed his ninth homer of the year in the ninth to keep SAU hopes alive. Outfielder Clayton Childers tripled and doubled, and first baseman Bobby Beeson and second baseman Victor Duke doubled. It was Beeson’s 14th double, Childers’ 12th, and Duke’s 10th of the year.
Boudreaux was three for five, scored, and drove in two runs. Crum was three for six, scored, and drove in two runs. Duke was two for four, scored, and drove in a run. Childers was two for five, scored twice, and drove in a run. Third baseman Brent Foster was one for three and drove in two runs, and outfielder Aharon Eggleston was one for five and scored three times. Eggleston, who set a new SAU season record Friday in the ‘Rider win over West Florida for hits, added another one against DSU, breaking the old season record for runs scored with 80. Keith Beam set the previous record of 78 in 1987.
Matt McAlpin pitched the first seven innings for DSU and gave up 10 hits, seven runs with five earned, walked three, and fanned two to improve his record to 9-1, the only setback to SAU during the conference season. Tim Jones hurled the last two innings, allowing six hits, four earned runs, walked none, and fanned two.
Paul Turrell started for the ‘Riders and lasted only an inning. He gave up four hits, six earned runs, walked, two, and fanned none, taking the loss and falling to 5-2 for the year. Ryan Grebert retired only one batter before being lifted in favor of Jason Ross. Grebert gave up two hits, three runs with two earned, walked none, and fanned one. Ross pitched the final six and two-thirds innings and gave up 11 hits, seven runs with five earned, walked three, and struck out three.
The disastrous second inning started with a walk to DSU outfielder Will Waldkirch, who advanced to second on a wild pitch. Outfielder Brett Donahoo was hit by a pitch. Smith hit the ball to the pitcher, who could not make a play, going for an infield hit. Patten reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on a throwing error by the pitcher, scoring a run. Grebert replaced Turrell on the mound.
Broome reached base on a fielding error by the shortstop to score another run with Broome advancing to second on a wild pitch and sending Patton to third. After Thigpen struck out, Pickard was hit by a pitch and catcher Craig Newton was hit by a pitch to score another run. Reed got a single to the pitcher that scored two more runs. Batting around, Waldkirch singled for the first ball out of the infield and Donahoo was hit for the second time in the inning with a pitch to score another run. Ross came on in relief of Grebert and forced Smith to hit into a double play to end the nightmare.
Southern Arkansas will attempt to rebound against West Alabama in the double elimination tourney in a game scheduled for 7 p.m.