MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Jareck West’s line drive double over thehead of centerfielder Chance Beasley in the bottom of the seventhled the 22nd-ranked Delta State baseball team to a 12-2 run-ruled,shortened Sunday game in the Gulf South Conference Tournament overfourth-ranked Ouachita Baptist University at USA Stadium. TheStatesmen improved to 44-12 on the season while the Tigers fell to49-7.

After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first, the Statesmenerupted for three runs in the third, highlighted by a solo shotover the right field wall by Hunter Jobes to finish the inningahead 3-1.

Delta State would never look back, scoring three more in thefourth, starting with Devin Goodwin’s lead off laser into the treesbehind the left field fence to put the Statesmen up 6-1.

Jobes would shine again in the sixth with his mammoth solo homerinto the pond just beyond the right field wall. Goodwin’s doubledown the right field line would add two more RBIs to his total tohighlight the inning as the Statesmen took an 11-2 lead into theseventh.

Jareck West’s shot over Beasley’s head in center would clinchDelta State an early supper as the Statesmen cruises to a 12-2victory in the second round match up.

Jobes’ 2-for-4 performance with two home runs and three RBIsproved to more than enough for Delta State on the day. In fact,Jobes is 6-for-9 with three doubles and two home runs and fiveRBIs.

Designated hitter Derek Norris was an impressive 3-for-3 withtwo doubles, a triple, and an RBI while Devin Goodwin was 2-for-4with a double, a homer and three RBIs.

Starter Justin Smith (12-2) went the seven inning distancesurrendering only one earned run on three hits and striking outfive.

Cody Gibson (10-2) picked up only his second loss on the seasonafter throwing 3.2 innings that saw the powerful lefty give up sixearned runs on five hits and three walks. The only other loss forGibson came on April Fool’s Day at Henderson State in the form of a5-4 loss.

The Statesmen await the winner of the West Alabama versus WestFlorida game on Monday at 7:30 p.m. at USA Stadium. The game willbe broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network starting at 7:15 p.m.Matt Jones, Keith Latham, and J.T. Webb have the call.