ROME, Ga. – The West Florida baseball team fell to Delta State 7-3 in round four at the Gulf South Conference tournament on Monday afternoon. With the loss the Argonauts are eliminated from the GSC tournament and fall to 34-17 overall.
Delta State struck first in the bottom of the first inning scoring two runs on back-to-back RBI hits by Jon Carnahan and Michael Vinson. UWF knotted the ball game at two in the top of the third inning. Taye Larry (Panama City, Fla./Wallace State CC-Dothan (Mosley HS) roped the Argos first hit of the game off the left field wall for a RBI triple scoring Leo Lamarche (Miami, Fla./Wallace State CC-Dothan (Krop HS) from first base. Larry would come around to score on a RBI infield base hit by Dustin Saulmon (Panama City, Fla./Alabama Southern CC (A. Crawford Mosley HS).
In the bottom of the third inning Delta State loaded the bases with nobody out. Three consecutive free passes and a two RBI single to left center by Ben Kinglsey put the Statesmen out front again 7-2. West Florida picked up their third hit of the ball game in the top of the eighth, a solo home run over the left field wall by Larry to cut into DSU’s lead 7-3. Saulmon started off the Argos ninth inning with a single to center field but was not enough as the Argos fell to DSU 7-3.
Brian Ellington (Gainesville, Fla./Florida State College at Jacksonville (Oak Hall HS) started on the mound for West Florida and received the loss allowing two runs on three hits in 1.1 innings. Jordan DeLorenzo (Winter Park, Fla./Winter Park HS) followed out of the bullpen and allowed five runs on one hit in 0.2 innings. Josh Tanski (Apopka, Fla./Pensacola State College (Lake Brantley) pitched next for UWF and halted the DSU offense hurling five shutout innings allowing three hits while fanning four while Bobby Parker (Tallahassee, Fla./Alabama Southern CC (Lawton Chiles HS) tossed a perfect eight inning. Delta State’s Rickey Winters went the distance and allowed three runs on four hits while striking out nine to pick up the win.
Larry and Saulmon accounted for all of UWF’s offensive production tallying all four hits and each of the three RBIs. Larry was 2-4 with a home run, two runs and two RBIs while Saulmon was 2-4 with an RBI.
West Florida will look to extend their season with an at large bid to the NCAA South Region tournament. The NCAA selections will be held Sunday May 13 at 9 p.m. For information on all UWF Athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.