Pioneers Sweep Hibbings

Winter Haven, Florida – Delta collected a pair of wins on Friday and improved their record to 4-6 on the year as they defeated Hibbings CC by the scores of 10-3 and 11-3.  They will complete the spring trip portion of their schedule tomorrow with a single game against Vermilion CC before heading back to Michigan.

Delta got on the board first in the top of the first when Nolan Raymond's sharp single to right brought home Matt Fisher before a long Jackson Lund fly ball scored Nick Johnson.  The Pioneers would score on one in the fifth and three in the sixth to take a commanding, 6-0 lead.  Hibbings would cut the lead in half in the bottom of the frame, however, plating three runs on five hits to make it 6-3.

But the JOES plated four of their own in the top of the seventh to put the game away at 10-3.  Alex Snider (1-1) got the complete game victory on the hill for DC, giving up three earned runs on nine hits while striking out two and walking two.  Offensively, Delta was led by Jackson Lund's three hits and four RBI while Cam Fowler (two doubles), Nick Johnson (three hits, two runs) and Nolan Raymond (double, two singles, two RBI) chipped in as well. 

Hibbings took a quick 3-0 lead in the nightcap and held on to a 3-2 lead going in to the bottom of the fourth before Delta stormed back to score eight runs in the frame and take an 11-3 lead that they would never surrender.  The big knock came in the inning after back-to-back Hibbings errors loaded the bases and Caron Longstreth laced a double to give Delta the lead.  In all, 14 JOES made their way to the plate in the inning with Matt Fisher reaching base in both at-bats.

Andy Sills (1-0) got the pitching win, throwing five innings and surrendering three runs on five hits while striking out five.  Jake Glover threw the last two innings of shutout baseball for Delta while the offense was led by Randy Rangel's three hit performance that included two doubles and two RBI.  Longstreth and Kyle Belger each had two hits as well.