CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College baseball bats struggled as in-state and Gulf South Conference foe, Delta State, claimed the opening game of the weekend series, 8-0. The Statesmen (22-15, 20-13 GSC) used the long ball en route to the victory as they hit five home runs in the contest.
 
MC (15-19, 12-17 GSC) managed just three hits against DSU starter Hunter Riggins. Dakota Kennedy, Dylan Duplechain and Lane Willis accounted for the Choctaws hits. Riggins struck out nine to improve to 7-4 on the season in the complete-game win.
 
Payton Russell (3-5) took the loss on the bump. Russell allowed five runs on nine hits, walked one and struck out five in the start.
 
Mississippi College and Delta State close out the weekend series on Saturday, May 1 with a doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.

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GAME 1: Mississippi College 0 | Delta State 8
DATE: Friday, April 30, 2021
LOCATION: Frierson Field
RECORDS: Choctaws 15-19, 12-17 GSC | Statesmen 22-15, 20-13 GSC
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- A scoreless contest through three frames, Delta State struck first in the top of the fourth as Jake Barlow hit a solo home run to center field. The following inning, Hayden White extended the lead to 4-0 with a three-run shot that scored Chad Ragland and Darek Sargent.
- Wyatt Pratt and Blayke Dendy added to the home run barrage in the sixth and seventh and the Statesmen closed out the scoring on the night with a White RBI-double to center field that scored Sargent in the eighth.
 
ON THE MOUND
- David Dunn and Jared Barnes saw action in relief. Dunn allowed three runs on four hits with a trio of strikeouts in two frames. Barnes fanned one, walked and allowed one hit in the final inning of action.
 
INSIDE THE BOX
- Delta State improves to 123-45-2 in the series and runs its win streak to three straight with the Choctaws.
- The three hits in the game are the fewest this season for Mississippi College.
- Russell becomes the first Choctaw hurler with five-plus strikeouts in a game since Bryce Lewis and Dylan Marsh accomplished the feat in the same game against Auburn-Montgomery. Lewis fanned seven while Marsh sat down six.