Box Score DOVER, Del.- Seeing his first action of the year, Leon Prunty came off the bench and threw for a game-high 116 yards but it would not be enough as Savannah State lost to Delaware State 35-10 in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game. It was the MEAC opener for both squads.
 
The crowd of 2,775 fans in Alumni Stadium saw DSU scored 28 points in the first quarter.
 
Delaware State took the opening kickoff and drove to the SSU 20 but the Tigers defense gained some momentum as a Hornet running back was held for no gain, DSU  had a delay of game penalty and freshman linebacker Anthony Smith sacked the quarterback for a 10 yard loss. On the next play, the Tigers defense forced their first turnover of the game when freshman defensive back Jalen Bush intercepted a pass at the 18 and returned it four yards to their own 22.
 
Savannah State would drive all the way to their own 45 but DSU's Kareem Leaver forced Tiger running back to fumble. Leaver picked up the ball and rambled 44 yards for a touchdown with 7:05 left in the first quarter for 7-0 lead.
 
The Hornets would score again on their next possession to go ahead 14-0 with 2:52 remaining in the first quarter.
 
SSU fumbled the ball again on their next possession and the Hornets recovered at the Tigers 10 yard line.
 
It took Delaware State (1-4, 1-0) just one play to score and with two minutes left in the first quarter, the home team held a 20-0 advantage.
 
Savannah State would fumble the ball again on their next possession and the Hornets would convert the turnover into a touchdown as DSU scored on a 44 yard pass play with 1:38 left in the opening quarter. Delaware State completed the two point conversion to increase their lead to 28-0.
 
On the final play of the first quarter, SSU linebacker Justin Dixon picked off a pass and returned it 31 yards to the Hornets 32 but Savannah State could not turn the turnover into any points.
 
The Tigers (0-4, 0-1) prevented a shutout on their first possession of the second quarter as they strung together a 13-play, 54-yard drive.
 
Prunty entered the game on this possession and drove the Tigers into DSU territory for the first time in the game.
 
During the drive, Prunty completed a four yard pass to Cantrell Frazier when SSU faced a 4th and four from the DSU 48, Prunty ran for nine yards on a third and seven situation, Anthony Criswell ran for two yards on a third and one situation and Joshua Berry ran for 12 yards to set up a first and goal from the Hornets one. Freshman running back Nicholas Bentley scored on a one yard run with 7:30 left in their second quarter for the Tigers. John Barron added the extra point and the Tigers trailed 28-7.
 
In the third quarter, Delaware State drove to the Tigers 34 before freshman defensive back Stephen Reynolds intercepted a pass at the 10 yard line and returned it 14 yards to the SSU 24 to thwart another DSU scoring threat.
 
Early in the fourth quarter, SSU's Alfred Ansley intercepted a pass and returned it seven yards to the Hornets 37.
 
Savannah State took advantage of the turnover as they drove to the DSU nine before getting a false start penalty. SSU settled for a 31-yard field goal by Barron with 10:56 left in the contest to slice their deficit to 28-10.
 
Delaware State added a touchdown with one minute left in the game to make the score 35-10.
 
As a team, the Tigers produced 230 yards of offense while the defense intercepted four passes.
 
Prunty was the SSU leading rusher with 28 yards while Frazier had six receptions for 40 yards. Dixon and Trevion Ashford led the defense with nine tackles each.
 
Delaware State had 316 yards of offense while their defense had six sacks and recovered four fumbles.
 
Gilbert Rivera passed for 91 yards and two touchdowns for DSU. Milton Williams had five catches for 75 yards and two touchdowns while Malcolm Williams ran for 89 yards.
 
Savannah State will celebrate Homecoming 2014 on October 4 at Theodore A. Wright Stadium against Norfolk State (1-4, 1-0), who snapped a six game losing streak with a 15-14 win over Morgan State on September 27.
 
Kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m.