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CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Harding baseball team upset 27th-ranked Delta State 12-1 in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday for its first-ever victory over the Statesmen in Cleveland. Delta State won the second game 11-6.
Harding (19-18, 4-5) has run the gauntlet to begin Gulf South Conference West Division play. The Bisons have opened the conference slate with three nationally-ranked teams, and with a 4-5 record, are currently in fourth place. The top four teams from the West Division advance to the GSC Tournament in Millington, Tenn., in May.
Delta State (21-11, 8-1) lost for the first time in conference play and are tied with Southern Arkansas for first place. Arkansas Tech is in third place with a 7-2 conference record.
Harding had only three wins against Delta State since joining the Gulf South Conference in 2001. The Bisons defeated the Statesmen once in 2003 and twice in 2004, all at home.
In the opener, Harding pounded out 14 hits, and Delta State pitchers hit seven Harding batters. Senior Adam Darby led the Bisons, going 4-for-5 with two runs scored and three RBI. He hit his eighth home run of the season, a three-run shot, in the fourth inning.
Harding scored two in the second, one in the third, and three in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings. Freshman Chase Presley was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI.
Junior Brodie Brumley (3-3) pitched a complete game and allowed only one unearned run. He walked one and struck out two.
Cody Kelley (3-2) suffered the loss for Delta State. He allowed five earned runs in 3.2 innings.
Harding led game two 6-4 going into the bottom of the fifth inning, but a pair of Bison errors led to seven unearned runs for Delta State.
Josh Creveling (2-2) took the loss in relief for the Bisons, allowing six runs, though none were earned. Kyle Cline started for Harding and allowed four runs in 4.0 innings.
Toby Easterly (2-2) got the relief win for Delta State.
Senior Wisley Correa went 3-for-4 for Harding with a single, a double and a triple. He had three RBI.
Harding is back in action Tuesday with a doubleheader at home against Crichton.
