Eric Patten enters his third season as an assistant coach for the Delta State Baseball progam after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant coach at Jones County Junior College.
The Cedar Hill, Texas, native assisted fomer Statesmen Christian Ostrander working with the infielders, hitting instructor and directing the base running. The Bobcats went 46-11 this past season, advancing to the NJCAA Region 23 Championship game.
Prior to joining the staff at JCJC, Patten spent three years as an assistant coach at Gulfport High School. At GHS, Patten was the program’s hitting and infield instructor.
This is Patten’s second stint as a coach on the Statesman staff. During the 2006 (37- 17) and 2007 (45-16) seasons, Patten served as a graduate assistant coach, where he handled first base coaching duties.
Patten graduated from Delta State with his bachelor’s degree in general studies with a minor in business in May of 2005. A year later, he earned his master’s degree in secondary education from DSU.
Patten was a key component on Delta State’s 2004 NCAA Division II National Championship team that went 54-11 and defeated Grand Valley State 12-8 in the title tilt at Patterson Field in Montgomery, Alabama. The three-time All-Gulf South Conference and two-time American Baseball Coaches Association All-South Region selection helped lead the Statesmen to a 208-39 record during his four years at shortstop while capturing the 2003 and 2004 GSC titles. DSU also claimed four-straight GSC West Division crowns, three NCAA South Region titles and made three trips to the NCAA Division II College World Series in 2002, 2004 and 2005.
The slick-fielding shortstop appears throughout the career and single season record book for the Statesmen after batting .333 with 274 hits, 37 doubles, 11 triples, 15 home runs and 135 RBIs. He also swiped 42 career bases and walked 108 times. Patten also had 874 career chances at short with 568 assists and only 40 errors in 218 games played.
Patten married Britni Geddie of Ellisville, Mississippi, on January 3, 2015. Patten has one daughter Reese.
