[05/21/01] ABILENE, Texas J.J. Joiner hit an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Delta State an 11-10 win over Alabama-Huntsville and the NCAA Division II South Central Region title.

The Statesmen (47-9), who claimed their seventh regional championship, play in the Division II World Series May 26-June 2 at Montgomery, Ala.

DSU trailed 10-9 going into the ninth, but Brian Parkton led off with a double and Jim Abraham followed with an RBI double. Frank Smith was inentionally wlaked to get to Joiner, a junior.

Ex-Hinds star Clay Overby entered the game with one out in the ninth inning and got Huntsville to hit into an inning-ending double play. After UAH built a 9-5 lead, David Gurganas, another Hinds product, came in and pitched the seventh and eighth.