Box Score OXFORD, Ala. – The University of West Georgia baseball team was eliminated from the Gulf South Conference Championships on Saturday after a 3-1 loss to the Delta State Statesmen.

West Georgia (31-18, 17-13 GSC) struggled at the plate against Delta State (25-25, 14-15 GSC) as the Statesmen's starter, Drake Fontenot and relief pitcher, Steven Lacey held the Wolves to six hits in the two-run loss.

Jack Rasmussen took the mound for the Wolves and issued two walks in the first inning which led to an RBI-single from Delta State's Eric Newsom to give the Statesmen an early 1-0 lead.

Anthony Calabro recorded a one-out single in the bottom half of the inning, but would eventually be caught stealing to end the inning, sending us to the second.

Delta State extended their lead to two in the second inning after a walk, stolen base, and an error scored the Statesmen's Carson Clowers. The West Georgia offense couldn't respond in the bottom half of the inning, progressing us to the third.

Rasmussen settled down in the third as the right hander recorded his first 1-2-3 inning of the game, before his day ended in the top of the fourth.

After allowing two baserunners in the fourth, coach Jeff Smith called on Jonathan Hickman to relieve Rasmussen. Inheriting runners on first and second, Hickman worked his way out of the jam to keep West Georgia's deficit at two.

UWG loaded up the bases in the bottom half of the fourth after walks drawn by Sam Ladner and Cooper Prince and a single from Logan Fink, but couldn't push any runs across as Delta State escaped the inning unscathed to keep the Wolves in a two-run hole.

In the fifth, Hickman found himself in trouble as the Statesmen put runners on second and third with two outs and Delta State's five-hole hitter, Eric Newsom, stepping into the batter's box. Hickman took care of Newsom with little to no issue, striking him out on four pitches to retire the side.

After another solid inning of work from Hickman in the top of the sixth, Henry Daniels put the Wolves on the board, in the bottom half, with a solo home run to dead center, cutting Delta State's lead to 2-1.

Neither team could get anything going offensively in the seventh, sending us to the eighth inning where Hickman would be relieved by Ryan Whitener after 3 2/3 stellar innings.

Whitener inherited one of Hickman's runners and later in the inning, that runner would come across to score as an RBI-single from Taylor Woodstock extended Delta State's lead to 3-1. After the RBI-Single, coach Smith went back to his bullpen, calling on Bay Witcher to get UWG out of the inning. Witcher battled with the Statesmen's Jonathan Dewberry until Dewberry hit a screaming line drive that was caught by Cade Hohl at short stop to retire the side.

Daniels recorded a two-out single in the bottom half of the inning, but the Wolves couldn't cut into the two-run deficit as we went to the final frame, with Delta State leading 3-1.

Delta State started off the ninth inning with a lead-off single before Witcher struck out the next three batters to bring the Wolves' bats back up to the plate for their final chance.

In the bottom of the ninth, Jared Emory recorded a two-out single but Delta State's Lacey would slam the door, eliminating West Georgia from the Tournament.

Daniels led the way for the Wolves, by recording two hits and a home run.

West Georgia exits the GSC Tournament with an overall record of 31-18.