Delta Sweeps Macomb

Warren, MI – The Pioneers took the road for their fourth game in two days as they traveled to Macomb Community College where they swept a double header from the Monarchs by the scores of 6-4 and 8-3.  The wins even their record in the MCCAA at 6-6 while improve their overall record to 12-13 on the season.

Jeff Wright took the hill for Delta in game one, throwing his fourth complete game of the season and third in a row as he evened his record 3-3 on the season with the win.  He allowed three earned runs and struck out eight in the effort.

Macomb got on the board first with a run in the first inning but Delta would answer with three of their own in the third as Zach Schirmer laced a two-run homerun to score Fowler who had led off the inning with a double.  Later in the inning, Kane Bourbina would score on an error to make it 3-1 after three innings.

The Pioneers scored three more in the fifth inning when Mitch Morley singled to bring home Bourbina and then Dylan Steinke hit a two-run blast to bring home Morley and make it 6-1 in favor of Delta.

Macomb scored a run in the sixth on a solo homerun and scored two more in the top of the seventh to bring the score to 6-4.  With one out and the game tying run at the plate, Wright would induce a ground out and finish the game with a strikeout to secure the victory.

Cam Fowler had a double and a single while Danny Diaz went two-for-three and Steinke added a single to go with his two-run homerun.

In the nightcap, Grand Dittmer toed the rubber for Delta and gave up three runs in the third inning after two walks and two hits.  He would get out of the jam, though, by striking out the final two batters and leaving two runners stranded.  Dittmer then worked out of a leadoff double jam in the fourth by stranding runners at second and third with one out on a pop up and strikeout.  He would K ten batters in five innings of work to get the win and bring his record to 3-1 on the season.

With the score 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth, Delta would finally get their offense going as Zach Schirmer walked and Macomb misplayed a Devin Sempert sacrifice bunt to put two runners on with no outs.  Danny Diaz would then make it a 3-2 game with a double to the gap in left and with two outs, Aaron Esparza had a two-RBI single to give DC the lead at 4-3. 

Robin VanOrden relieved Dittmer in the sixth to keep the game at 4-3 after giving up a single.  Delta added four insurance runs in the bottom of the frame with the big blow coming off the bat of a Diaz single that scored two.  In all in the game, the Pioneers collected eight hits and were plunked twice bringing the total of hit batters to five in the double header.

VanOrden would then collect his second save of the season by allowing a baserunner in the seventh before getting a strikeout to end the game.  Danny Diaz led the offense with two hits and three RBI while Matt Fisher collected two hits of his own.

The JOES play again tomorrow as they finish their season series against the Monarchs in a 1pm doubleheader before heading to Henry Ford Community College on Sunday to finish their season series against the Hawks.