Delta Splits on Day Five of RussMatt

Auburndale, FL – After starting the season 3-6, the Delta College baseball team needed a win over perennial power Niagara Community College on Wednesday to give them a boost on their annual spring trip to get back on the winning side of things.  Freshmen pitcher Jake Gross gave them exactly that.

Gross – starting his first collegiate game – threw six strong innings on the hill, surrendering one earned run on six hits with five strikeouts as Delta pulled out a 5-4 win. 

"After watching them the first game I knew they could really hit," said Gross.  "My mindset didn't change, though.  I wanted to pound the zone and throw strikes."

Delta dropped a 12-6 decision to Niagara in the first game of the double-header earlier on Wednesday.

Delta took a 1-0 lead in the third as Tyler Kelsey reached on an error and eventually scored on a Zack Booth single to left.  Three runs and two innings later, Niagara held a 3-1 advantage.

Heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, Delta had struck out eight times and still had just one hit in the game.  That's when Kelsey led off the inning with a triple to left field and scored on a Luke Schrage single to right to make it 3-2.  After Booth was hit by a pitch, Derrek Clyde singled to right to score Schrage and tie the game at three apiece.

"Their guy was left-handed and throwing gas, hitting 90 and 91mph the entire game," said head coach Danny Smith.  "When Derrek came up, we talked about moving the runners up on a bunt but decided to let him swing away."

"And he tattooed it."

With Clyde standing at second after a steal and Booth at third, Delta drew a throw to second base which allowed Booth to scamper home from third to take the lead while Clyde stole third base.  A wild pitch allowed Clyde to score and when the dust cleared, Delta held a 5-3 lead.

Niagara got a one out double in the top of the sixth and when the next batter launched a shot to deep center field, it looked as though the Thunderwolves would threaten again.  That's when Pioneers center fielder Ty Robbins ran it down and leaped at the last second to snag the ball, then threw it to second base to double off the Niagara runner to end the inning.

"Play of the week," said Smith.  "If we go 4-0 the rest of the way that will be the play that everyone will point to."

Robbins went to the hill for the seventh inning and picked up his first save of the season.

In the first game of the day, Delta jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one inning as Clyde singled to lead off the game before a Justin Jurek bunt was misplayed into an error.  Z Westley followed up with a single to score Clyde and Robbins laid down a two-RBI squeeze to score Westley and Jurek.

Delta would up the lead to 4-0 before a three-run second inning and a seven run fourth by Niagara put the game out of reach.  Zack Booth led the offense for Delta despite the loss by going three-for-four with two single, a triple and stolen base.  Tyler Kirkwood (1-1) took the loss on the hill.

The Pioneers play again on Friday against #10 ranked Erie Community College in a double-header at Auburndale.  Game time is scheduled for 3:30pm.