Moorhead, Miss. – David Gibson fully trusts the arms of the Northeast Mississippi Community College bullpen anytime that it enters a ballgame.

Gibson started game two for the Tigers on Wednesday and then handed the baseball to Northeast's relievers, who secured a 5-2 victory over Mississippi Delta Community College at Jimmy Bellipanni Field.

The Tigers also took the opener by a score of 10-4 to sweep the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division doubleheader against the nationally ranked Trojans.

"Coaches say that the bullpen is the better part of our pitching rotation and it shows time in and time out," said Gibson. "If I can give them four innings, we'll be good so that's what I try to do every time."

That was exactly the case against Mississippi Delta, who entered the day ranked No. 10 by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

Gibson (2-1), a product of Kossuth High School, garnered the win after giving up two runs on just four hits with three strikeouts in four frames of work.

Ben Hellums, Dustin Allen and Evan Hickman combined to toss a scoreless final three innings, but not without a scare from the Trojans in the sixth.

Carson Crites reached on an error and two straight walks loaded the bases with two outs. Hickman took the hill from that point and got out of the jam when leadoff hitter Brandon Cummins to pop up in foul territory to catcher Riley Alef.

Hickman, who hails from Holly Springs, then sat down the top of Mississippi Delta's lineup in order during the seventh to wrap up his league-best fifth save of the year.

"Those guys come out every day and just keep working for us," said Northeast assistant coach Richy Harrelson. "Our number one pitcher is our guy that's on the mound at that time and that's what they're starting to believe. They're a great group that's getting better each day."

Jordan Montgomery got the nightcap underway with a double down the right field line. He then scored when Heath Wood laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt that was thrown away by Trojan hurler Paul Carpenter (1-2).

Ben Foster made it 2-0 in favor of the Tigers (13-11, 6-2) after the first with a two-out RBI single that plated Wood.

Montgomery extended Northeast's advantage to 4-0 with his second double in as many innings. The extra base hit plated Easton Hall and Luke Stanley, who walked and reached on an error respectively.

Jason Berry lifted a ball into the delta wind that sailed over the fence and Danny Springer's RBI single cut Mississippi Delta's deficit to 4-2, but the Tigers made a handful of nice plays to keep the Trojans off the scoreboard for the remainder of the matchup.

Jacob Shempert was caught trying to take home on a double steal to end the third while Drew Wray made a bare handed grab of a bunt attempt by Peyton Callahan to just get the out at first base in the fifth.

Northeast added an insurance run in its final at bat when Trent Turner singled and came around the bags on a fielding error.

The Tigers took an early 4-0 lead over Mississippi Delta (16-10, 7-3) in the opener as well. Alef had a RBI single while Foster successfully touched home plate on a double steal in the second.

Turner connected on a double to left field, his second of the contest, which scored Wood and Hall one inning later.

The Trojans responded and tied things up in the fourth. Colby Maner hit a two-run home run and Callahan had a RBI hit that made the score 4-4.

Northeast, though, added six runs over the last three frames to put the matchup out of reach. Turner took a full count walk to force Scott Pala home for what would eventually be the winning run in the fifth.

Cody Bo Dillard soared a sacrifice fly to right field that stretched the Tigers' lead to 6-4.

A four spot in the sixth accounted for the final margin of victory. Pala, Wood and Hall each had RBI singles in the inning.

Hunt Halford (1-1) took the hill in the fourth and went two frames to earn the first win of his sophomore season. Halford, a left-hander from Oxford, did not allow an earned run and struck out two.

"That was good for me. It picked me up big time," Halford said. "I'd been struggling a little bit. It was a tribute to those guys out there for getting me some help."

Turner had four base knocks on the afternoon to lead Northeast's offensive output. Wood had three to up his team-high batting average to .378.

Landon Boyd got the start and went 3.2 innings with two earned runs and three strikeouts. Townsend Myers also had a perfect appearance out of the pen.

"Anytime you go on the road and beat a good team it's good," said Harrelson. "We feel like today set a tone for us. You've got to play very well on the road."

The Tigers continue their MACJC North Division slate at Coahoma Community College on Saturday, March 29. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Clarksdale.