Game 1 | Game 2

PENSACOLA, Fla. - The University of West Florida Baseball Team earned a double-header split on Sunday afternoon against Delta State at Jim Spooner Field.

UWF moves to 5-3 on the season while DSU improves to 2-3.  The two teams will play in a series-deciding rubber match on Monday afternoon at 1 p.m.

Dylan Menhennett led all Argos with four hits on the day, with Matthew Estrada adding three of his own.  The pitching staff was equally effective, combining for 16 strikeouts as a unit with starters Evan Floyd and Ryan Brewer, making up for 11 of those 16.  Cullan O'Shea made waves both on the mound and at the plate, scoring a run in game one and then he pitched the ninth in game two, earning his first-career save.

Game 1: West Florida got on the board thanks to a two-out rally as O'Shea walked.  After a Menhennett single, designated hitter Justin Dunnam doubled down the right field line to score O'Shea and make it 1-0 game in the top of the first.  The Argos were the visiting team in the series, batting first, due to the series being moved from Delta State to Pensacola.

The Statesman struck back quickly on a Hayden White homerun to left field to even the game in the bottom of the frame off of Brewer.  DSU would tack on two more in the bottom of the second, following RBI singles by Chad Ragland and Jake Barlow, making it 3-1.  The Statesmen would add two more runs in bottom of the third to make it 5-1.

Despite the early trouble, Brewer, would go last five innings as he settled down and struck out three of the final six batters he faced.  On the afternoon, Brewer allowed five runs, four earned, on eight hits, no walks and six strikeouts to earn the no-decision.  The red-shirt junior now has 19 strikeouts on the season which is sixth most in the Gulf South Conference.

The UWF bats would wake up in the top of the sixth, as catcher Jack Schad started another two-out rally with a walk.  Following back-to-back singles by Sam Harris and Bryant Harris Jr., the latter of which scored Schad, True Fontenot turned on a 1-0 pitch by DSU starting pitcher, Hunter Riggins, and deposited the pitch over the left field fence to tie the game at five.  With the homerun, Fontenot is now tied for second on the team in runs batted in with seven.

After two scoreless innings by redshirt-freshman Sean Means, the Statesmen would score another run in the bottom of the eighth as Kade Dees singled in Kirkland Trahan, making it 6-5 to arrive at the final score.

Game 2: This time, DSU would get the first run across as Dees would score again on a sacrifice fly by Myles Christian off of Argo starting pitcher, Evan Floyd.  West Florida would respond in the next half inning as Estrada would single home Miller Hancock, who reached on a one-out double.  Hancock is tied for the team-lead in doubles with three now on the year.

It was then a pitchers duel for the next few innings between Floyd and DSU starter, Christian Day.  It wasn't until the bottom of the fifth that either of the team's would score as Trahan singled in outfielder, Chad Ragland, to give the DSU a 2-1 lead.

Beyond the two runs, Floyd was very solid, throwing five innings and allowing only those two runs on four hits while surrending no walks and striking out five to earn the no-decision.  The red-shirt junior from nearby Pensacola Catholic lowered his season ERA to a team-low 2.25, following the start.  The 2.25 earned run average is sixth best in the GSC.

West Florida would finally break through in the top of the seventh, scoring five runs which was their most in an inning since their last victory, on February 13th against Shorter.  The Argos were happy to see the DSU bullpen, jumping on the first reliever of the ballgame, Kole Kittrell.  Hancock and Estrada led-off the inning with back-to-back walks, while O'Shea reached on a bunt single to load the bases.  Following a Menhennett walk to score Hancock, Dunnam singled to right center to score all three runners.  A miscue by the right fielder brought O'Shea home while Menhennett scored following a throwing error by the second baseman.  Fontenot would score later in the inning to make it 6-2 on a single by catcher Sam Clement.

UWF would later add to the lead as Menhennett singled home Hancock.  Hancock is now tied for eighth in the GSC in runs scored with nine.

DSU would score two runs in the bottom of the eighth off of Brendon Case, before O'Shea moved from first baseman to pitcher, allowing one run before striking out Daniel Sargent, to end the game and earn him the first save of his career.

For the latest on the UWF Baseball Team, please visit GoArgos.com or follow the Team on Twitter @UWF_Baseball.