Delta State still alive at regional

Published 11:24 am Monday, May 21, 2012

Delta State needed a couple of late rallies to keep its season alive Sunday, but managed to get the job done.

Justin Badon’s walk-off, two-run single in the bottom of the 10th inning capped a three-run rally that gave the Statesmen a 7-6 win over Alabama-Huntsville. Earlier Sunday, Delta State scored three runs in the seventh to take the lead for good, and went on to beat Nova Southeastern 8-5.

The pair of elimination-game wins sent Delta State (44-13) into the championship round of the NCAA Division II South Regional. It’ll face Stillman today at 11 a.m. in Tampa, Fla. If Delta State wins, the teams will play again at 2:15 p.m.

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DSU took the lead for good against Nova Southeastern on a sacrifice fly by Brent Kakwitch. Kawitch added an RBI single in the ninth, and Sam Kidd drew a bases-loaded walk.

That rally was just a warm-up, though.

Two errors in the bottom of the ninth inning allowed Delta State to score the tying run against Alabama-Huntsville (33-24). The Chargers then scored twice in the top of the 10th to take a 6-4 lead, but DSU rallied again in the bottom half.

The first four batters reached base for DSU. Michael Vinson had an RBI single to cut it to 6-5. Then, with one out, Badon ripped a single to bring in Vinson and Ben Kingsley with the winning runs.

Prairie View 7, Miss. Valley St. 4

Brett Valley and Brad Benes drove in two runs apiece, Andre Oliver and James Fontenot both scored twice, and Prairie View beat Mississippi Valley State in the SWAC Tournament championship game.

Valley (17-39) had won three straight games to reach the final, but couldn’t overcome a six-run deficit. Prairie View took advantage of three errors to score three runs in both the third and eighth innings, and led 7-1 before Valley mounted a late charge.