Delgado beats Nunez, 11-9, to force winner-take-all game at Region XXIII tourney

Delgado defeated Nunez 11-9 Saturday to force a deciding game five for the 2022 Region XXIII Division I title.

Nunez scored a run in the first on a double by Landon Manson before Delgado answered with a five run outburst in the bottom of the inning. Brayden Caskey and Ethan Lege walked before scoring on a double by Jacob Singletary to take the 2-1 lead.

Michael Stutes reached as a hit batter and scored on a two run single by Josh Alexander. Jacob Fury’s two out single scored Alexander for Delgado’s fifth run.

The Pelicans added two runs in the third and a run in the fourth to narrow the lead to a run before tying the game at five on Kyle Landry’s sacrifice fly in the sixth.

The Dolphins answered by sending 12 batters to the plate in the bottom of the inning to post six runs on three hits and leaving the bases loaded to carry an 11-5 lead through six innings of play.

Nunez added three runs in the seventh on singles by Landon Manson and Harrison Boudreaux and a triple by Collin Zeringue.

In the ninth, Landon Manson reached on a leadoff single and scored on a two out double by Boudreaux for a ninth Nunez run before reliever Tyler Velino closed the game and Delgado’s 11-9 victory.

Will Reed picked up the win on the mound, entering in relief in the sixth in relief of starter Dwain Guice. Velino earned the save, pitching the eighth and ninth.

As a result of the win, Delgado and Nunez will meet at 2:00 Sunday at Pete Goldsby Field in the deciding Game 5 to determine the Region XXIII championship.