Arkansas State sweeps Mississippi Valley State in Tuesday double header

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Stellar work on the mound paved the way to a doubleheader sweep Tuesday evening at Tomlinson Stadium-Kell Field, as the Arkansas State baseball team defeated Mississippi Valley State 12-0 and 3-2 in a pair of seven-inning affairs.

A-State (6-3) fanned a combined 21 Delta Devils (3-6) in the twin bill, surrendering just one walk. The Red Wolves cruised to a run-rule win in the opener before holding off a late rally in the nightcap for the sweep.

Allen Grier combined to go 4-for-6 with two doubles and a triple, while making the final out to clinch the win in game two.

GAME 1 | ARKANSAS STATE 12 – MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE 0

Arkansas State started the day with a strong start both on the mound and at the plate, allowing just two hits while tallying 12 runs on 12 hits in a shutout run-rule victory.

Kyler Carmack (1-0) worked four shutout frames, allowing just one base runner to go along with six strikeouts. James McCormick and Brian Veniard each made their A-State debuts, with McCormick working two innings and Veniard striking out a pair in the seventh.

Wil French scored a career-high four runs on a pair of hits, while Grier went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a triple. Cross Jumper doubled twice, plating four runs, while Kody Darcy scored twice.

Brandon Hager drove in the first of his two runs with an RBI double in the first, plating French, who drove in Grier with a single in the third. Darcy added an RBI double to drive in French to put the count at 3-0 after three.

A-State tacked on three more in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Hunter Thomas, followed by an RBI double by French, who later scored on an error.

Jumper doubled home Darcy in the fifth, and the Hager opened a five-run sixth with an RBI base hit. Daedrick Cail forced a bases-loaded walk to plate Blake Burris, then Jumper promptly unloaded the bases with a double off the wall.

Veniard worked around a two-out baserunner in the seventh, getting his second strikeout of the frame to seal the win.

GAME 2 | ARKANSAS STATE 3 – MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE 2

In the nightcap, A-State scored three early runs and never relinquished that lead, despite a late rally by MVSU in the seventh.

The Delta Devils had the tying run at third base with two outs, but poise on the mound from veteran closer Kevin Wiseman won out, as he forced a fly-out to Grier to earn his first save of the season.

Freshman righty Chase Armstrong (1-0) allowed one unearned run in four strong innings, striking out five and scattering five hits. Max Charlton and Coby Greiner each retired the side in their respective innings of work before giving way to Wiseman.

Grier and French both went 2-for-3, with French scoring a run and driving in one.

A-State scored two runs in the first on an RBI single by Burris, who crossed home on a double by Darcy. French singled up the middle in the second to plate Hunter Thomas, who also threw out a pair of base-stealers, to make it 3-0.

MVSU plated its first run in the fourth on a sac fly by Keith Harden that scored Maury Weaver.

The Delta Devils then threatened in the top of the seventh, scoring an unearned run when pinch-hitter Ty Washington drove in pinch-runner Narvin Booker with a single up the middle. Brian Hardaway, pinch-running for Washington, swiped second, then moved to third on a wild pitch. Kyndell Dolphin worked the count full, then looped a fly ball into short left field, but the speedy Grier was there for the snag to end the contest.

NEXT UP

A-State continues its home stand with a three-game weekend series against 2022 NCAA Regional participant Missouri State, beginning Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.