Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 GAME ONE BOX SCORE | GAME TWO BOX SCORE
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The University of Alabama in Huntsville baseball team began Gulf South Conference play with a win for the third straight season Saturday as the Chargers picked up a 4-3 walk-off victory over No. 11 Delta State in game one of a three-game series at Charger Park. The Statesmen evened the series in the nightcap with a 9-3 decision over UAH.
After the day, UAH moved to 8-11 overall and 1-1 in the conference while DSU moves to 9-2 on the season and 1-1 in league play.
The Chargers and Statesmen return to the diamond Sunday for the rubber match. First pitch at Charger Park is slated for 1 p.m. CST.
GAME ONE
Pinch-hitting with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, senior Mike Love connected on his first home run of the year in walk-off fashion to give UAH a 4-3 victory over the 11th-ranked Delta State Statesmen.
Jordan Chovanec got Delta State on the board first in the top of the fifth inning, literally, as he crushed his first home run of the year off the scoreboard in right field.
The Chargers answered the bell in the bottom half of the fifth, however, plating one run to even the game up at 1-1. Chandler Brock led off the inning with a single and then stole second, followed by another single by Blake Massey which moved Brock over to third. Brock then crossed the plate after tagging up on a sacrifice fly by Eddie Villalta. Massey then stole second before trying to round third on a bloop single into left field but was tagged out at the plate to end the frame.
After a one out single and double by the Statesmen to start the sixth, Brent Langston sent a single back up the middle to score both runners and give DSU a 3-1 lead.
UAH tied the game again in the eighth inning, plating two runs to make the score 3-3. Jon McKinney got the rally started with a triple after Villalta walked just before him, and scored on the triple. Two walks later, the Chargers had the bases loaded with no outs, forcing the Statesmen to change pitchers. Later in the frame with one out, Ty Chancelor reached on a fielder's choice, but earned the RBI as a run scored to knot things up.
The first two batters struck out for UAH in the bottom of the ninth, but Love came in to pinch hit and sent the walk-off homer over the right field wall.
Seven of the nine starters for UAH picked up a hit in the contest, as the Chargers notched eight hits in the game.
Cody Barrett (3-2) picked up the victory, his third of the year, while working 0.2 innings in relief of starter Drew Eiland, who was impressive on the hill for the Chargers. Eiland worked a career-high 8.1 innings, allowing three runs on 11 hit while walking three and striking out three.
For DSU, reliever Brandon Hardin (1-2) was tagged with the loss after working 1.2 innings and allowing the walk-off home run, despite striking out four of six batters faced. Josh Branstetter got the start on the mound, and lasted 7.0 innings before getting pulled, allowing three runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out one.
GAME TWO
Down 8-0, senior Grant DeBruin looked to start a rally with a three-run homer in the sixth inning but UAH couldn't catch the Statesmen as DSU claimed a 9-3 victory in the nightcap.
DSU again got the scoring started in game two, plating one run in the first inning. After the first two batters grounded out and flew out, Ben Kingsley singled into left field and then stole second. On the pickoff attempt, however, the catcher overthrew second baseman which was followed by the centerfielder overthrowing the second baseman as well and Kingsley came around to score on the play's two errors.
The Statesmen crossed five more runs in the top of the fourth inning to break the game open with a 6-0 advantage over UAH. The big blow of the inning came with the bases loaded as Tyler Aldridge legged out a triple to clear the bags.
DSU added two more runs in the sixth to effectively put the game away, including a solo home run off the scoreboard in right field from Sam Kidd – his third of the year.
Grant DeBruin gave the Chargers some life in the bottom of the sixth frame with a three-run shot over the left centerfield wall, but those were the only runs UAH would score. The homer was the second of the year for DeBruin. Earlier in the inning, Jon McKinney laid down a bunt single and Justin Riddle walked to get on base.
DSU added one more run to its lead in the top of the seventh, giving the Statesmen a 9-3 lead which would eventually be the final as UAH couldn't rally in the bottom half of the frame.
The Chargers' starting pitcher Dana Wright (1-1) was tagged with his first loss of the year after working 5.2 innings in which he allowed eight runs – seven earned – on eight hits and four walks while striking out one. Zach Adams pitched 1.1 innings and allowed one run on three hits, and fanned one.
Colton Mitchell went the distance for DSU, hurling a 7.0-inning complete-game. Mitchell allowed three runs on four hits while striking out three and walking two. He also hit one batter.
