MONTICELLO, Ark. — The University of Arkansas at Monticello baseball team was swept by the No. 6 Statesmen of Delta State with final scores of 18-4, 20-3, and 17-7.
 
The Statesmen racked up 55 runs on 47 hits over the weekend, including eight home runs and 12 doubles, while the Weevils only scored 14 runs on 21 hits.
 
In the first game of the series, the Weevils scored all but one of their runs off round-trippers. In the bottom of the sixth, junior Ben Turner (Greenville, Miss.) smashed a solo-home run to left center field, marking his second blast of the season. Then, in the bottom of the seventh, sophomore Craig Caldwell (West Monroe, La.) ripped a two-RBI shot down the left field line that just stayed fair for his third blast of the season.
 
In the second game, the Weevils only scored one earned run, which was an RBI-single from freshman Michael Diffie (El Dorado, Ark.) in the bottom of the seventh that ended the scoring. The Weevils did plate two un-earned runs in the bottom of the third when junior Josh Wisnoski (Navasota, Texas) reached on an error, that scored Diffie. Freshman Ben Miller (El Dorado, Ark.) scored during the next at bat off a wild pitch by DSU’s Korey Cunningham.
 
In the final game of the series, the Statesmen secured a three-game sweep by racking up 17 runs off 19 hits, while the Weevils tried to force the game to the full nine innings scheduled by scoring seven runs off eight hits.
 
The Weevils scored the majority of their runs in the bottom of the fifth, which included four straight run producing at bats.
 
Caldwell was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to start the scoring. Senior Chris Whatley (Sachse, Texas) followed with an RBI-base on balls, which was followed by an RBI-single from sophomore Matt Gardner (West Monroe, La.). Caldwell, who moved to third on Gardner’s single, scored on the next play from a throwing error by DSU’s pitcher, Joey Haston.
 
Gardner improved his day with a two-run home run to center in the bottom of the seventh that ended the scoring. The blast was Gardner’s first of the season.
 
Freshman Ryan Rawls (Bastrop, La.) recorded his first loss of the season in the first game after pitching three and one third innings, allowing 12 runs off seven hits.
 
In the second game, sophomore Kevin Lienard (Drew, Miss.) recorded his fourth loss of the season after pitching one inning, allowing 11 runs off three hits.
 
In the final game of the series, sophomore Kyle Thaxton (Blytheville, Ark.) recorded his eighth loss of the season after pitching four full innings, allowing 10 runs off 12 hits.
 
The Weevils drop to 0-32 overall and 0-15 in the GSC, while looking for their first win next weekend (Apr. 19-20), when the team hosts Harding for a three-game GSC series. Saturday, Apr. 19 will feature a double header with the first game starting at 1 p.m. Sunday, the two teams will conclude the series with a single nine-inning game, also starting at 1 p.m.

 

Photo Caption: Sophomore Matt Gardner makes a play at third base earlier this season. Gardner went 5 for 10 in the Delta State series, including his first home run of the season.