Complete Delta State versus Southern Arkansas Series Notebook [PDF]

CLEVELAND - The No. 20 ranked Statesmen (32-13-1, 11-6 GSCW) of Delta State University will look to make regional noise this weekend, as nationally No.1 ranked Southern Arkansas University comes calling at Ferriss Field. The three game Gulf South Conference series will begin Saturday at 3 p.m. (DH) and conclude Sunday at 2 p.m.

The Muleriders (38-4, 17-0 GSCW) have already clinched the GSC West Division title and are looking to lock up a shot at hosting the NCAA South Regional for a second straight year.

Delta State enters the weekend after claiming a come-from-behind victory over Belhaven, 5-4, at Smith-Wills Stadium in Jackson on Tuesday. DSU trailed 4-0 before outscoring the Blazers 5-0 over the final five innings.

Southern Arkansas swept Ouachita Baptist 7-4, 4-2 and 15-2 last weekend, while the Statesmen were swept at home for the first time since 1993 by Arkansas Tech.

The Statesmen and Muleriders have enjoyed a long and competitive series, with the DSU 52-22 edge in the series.

DSU took 2-of-3 last year in Magnolia, Ark., to claim a share of the West Division title.
In the last meeting at Ferriss Field, the Statesmen swept SAU 5-4 and 10-1 in a rain-shortened series.

STATESMAN TO WATCH - JOSH GORDON (3B)
Senior 3B Josh Gordon (6-2/Vicksburg) is this week's Statesman To Watch. The Vicksburg native has been a constant for the Statesmen this season, leading the club in average (.424), hits (75) runs (54) and home runs (8). He currently leads the GSC with 75 hits and ranks third in batting average with a .424 mark. He boasts a .633 slugging percentage and a whopping .500 on-base percentage.

STATESMEN SPORTS NETWORK
The Statesmen Sports Network will offer complete coverage of all three games this weekend versus Sou.Arkansas from Ferriss Field. The broadcast starts 15 minutes prior to first pitch with the SouthGroup Insurance Dugout Report. Matt Jones and Jimmy Smith will have the call. This week's action may be heard on WMJW 107.5 FM and 930 AM in Jackson.

DELTA STATE BASEBALL TO HONOR COACH FERRISS
The Delta State University baseball program will honor former head coach Dave “Boo” Ferriss prior to the start of Saturday's 3 p.m. doubleheader against Southern Arkansas.

The Statesmen baseball team and athletics department designated 2010 as a year of celebration, marking the 50th anniversary of Coach Ferriss' inaugural season. Ferriss, a native of Shaw, Miss., compiled a 639-387-8 record at the helm of the Delta State baseball team between 1960 and 1988.

He is widely regarded as the architect of the baseball program and the Ferriss legacy is still alive today in the form of Ferriss Field and the Boo Ferriss museum. Coach Ferriss is still active in the Delta State baseball circle, rarely missing a chance to follow “his” Statesmen.

The pregame event, which is scheduled for 2:45 p.m., will take place at home plate prior to the start of Saturday's doubleheader with Southern Arkansas University.

DELTA STATE WELCOMES MULERIDERS TO FERRISS FIELD
The Statesmen will welcome the No. 1 rankled Southern Arkansas University Muleriders (38-4) to Ferriss Field this weekend. Both of these storied teams boast rich traditions on the diamond and each year it seems major implications hinge on the outcome of this series. DSU's postseason life and SAU's strangle-hold on No. 1 are just two of the subplots to this year's meeting.

Delta State and Southern Arkansas have met 74 previous times, with the Statesmen boasting a 52-22 edge in the series standings. DSU took 2-of-3 last year in Magnolia, Ark., to claim a share of the West Division title.

In the last meeting at Ferriss Field, the Statesmen swept SAU 5-4 and 10-1 in a rain-shortened series.

STATESMEN IN UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY
Entering the weekend series versus Southern Arkansas, coach Mike Kinnison and the Statesmen are in unfamiliar territory - third place in the GSC West Division standings. Since moving to an East/West divisional format, the Statesmen have finished no lower than second in any season. DSU sits two games back of Arkansas Tech and six games back of West Division champ Southern Arkansas.

GSC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER
Delta State has clinched a spot in the upcoming GSC Baseball Tournament, and fans need to make plans now for the five day event. The tournament will run May 1-5 at USA Stadium in Millington, Tenn. Tickets are on sale now. For more information, please log on to www.usastadium.org or call the Gulf South Conference at (205) 991-9880.

AGAINST RANKED COMPETITION
The Statesmen enter this weekend's series with No. 1 ranked Southern Arkansas boasting a 6-2-1 record against ranked competition this season. Delta State's six wins, four versus NCAA DII competition, against the top 30 rank second to Ouachita Baptist's and SAU's five among GSC teams.

GORDON LEADS GSC IN HITS
Senior 3B Josh Gordon enters the weekend on quite a roll. The Vicksburg native leads the GSC in hits (75), while ranking third overall in batting average (.424). He has also leads the Statesmen in home runs (8) and runs scored (54).

Gordo's also in the NCAA rankings for hits (22md), runs scored (37th) and batting average (72nd).

STATESMEN DROP TO SEVENTH IN NCAA SOUTH REGION
The No. 20 nationally ranked Delta State University baseball team dropped two spots to No. 7 in Wednesday's latest round of NCAA South Region rankings. The Statesmen (32-13-1) came in No. 5 last week before dropping three games to Arkansas Tech over the weekend. The complete NCAA South Region Poll for April 21 is listed below.

Delta State will host No. 1 Southern Arkansas (38-4) for a three game Gulf South Conference series this weekend at Ferriss Field. Saturday's doubleheader is slated for 3 p.m. followed by a single game Sunday at 2 p.m.

NCAA SOUTH REGION POLL • 4.21.10
1. Southern Arkansas 38-4/32-3
2. Florida Southern 37-6/24-6
3. Tampa 39-8/31-8
4. Valdosta State 35-12/27-11
5. West Florida 32-15/20-14
6. Arkansas Tech 33-14/29-11
7. Delta State 31-13-1/25-11-1
8. Barry 27-14/19-14
9. Nova Southeastern 29-17/19-17
10. Florida Tech 33-13/18-12

COATS A PLENTY
Starkville native Jason Coats has certainly impressed this season, posting a 7-0 record with a 2.95 ERA in 11 starts. So much so, the crafty right-hander ranks third in GSC in ERA - allowing just 19 earned runs, 30 runs overall, this season in 58 innings pitched.

ENOUGH'S ENOUGH
Junior catcher Patrick Taylor would like to make the most out of each of his at-bats. Unfortunately, the Arab, Ala. native knows all too well what it's like to have the bat taken out of his hand, ranking second in the NCAA in hit-by-pitches with 21.

STATESMEN ENTERING WEEKEND SECOND IN ERA
While the Statesmen have experienced ups and downs this season in the W-L column, the pitching staff has been solid all season. Entering the weekend versus Southern Arkansas, the Statesmen boast the second best ERA (3.66) in the Gulf South Conference and the 19th overall in NCAA DII.

Only West Florida's 3.39 ERA is better, while this weekend's opponent Southern Arkansas is third with a 3.72 ERA.

BASEBALL MAGNETS
The Statesmen might feel like baseball magnets this season, ranking second in the NCAA in hit-by-pitches with 102 this season. Southern Arkansas leads the NCAA with 104.

In a19-3 rout at CBU on March 21, the Statesmen were hit nine times by Buccaneer pitching, establishing a new school record for the Statesmen and were just one off the GSC's single-game record. The previous record for HBPs in a game was eight versus St. Joseph's (Ind.) on Feb. 23, 2008 at Ferriss Field.

Through 46 games, the Statesmen have been hit by a pitch 102 times. The school record for single season HBPs is 152.

SENIOR DAY SET FOR SUNDAY
Coach Mike Kinnison and the Statesmen baseball program will recognize its 11 seniors before Sunday's game with Southern Arkansas. Senior Day activities will begin at 1:45 p.m. during pregame ceremonies.

The 2010 senior class has helped DSU amass a 163-56-1 record, including the 2008 GSC Championship and two trips to the NCAA South Regional Tournament.

NIEMANN MOVES INTO TOP FIVE IN CAREER STEALS
Junior centerfielder Michael Niemann has vaulted up the career top 10 list this season for the Statesmen, moving all the way to No. 5 after his steal of second in DSU's 13-11 at William Carey.

In his 157 game career, the Yelm, Wash., native has swiped 56 bases in 72 attempts, moving past Timbo Baird (41), Eric Patten (42), Casey Myrick (43), Jud Thigpen (47), Hunter Jobes (48) and Paul Wright (50).

Heath Bailey (1994-96) stole a school-record 71 bases during his career for the Statesmen.

KELLEY MOVES INTO SEVENTH IN CAREER APPEARANCES
Senior righthander Cody Kelley (6-1, 3.89 ERA) has moved into seventh place on the career appearances chart for the Statesmen with 58.

In Kelley's four-year career, the Louisville native has posted a 17-4 record in 58 appearances with a 4.15 ERA.

The former reliever made a relatively smooth transition into the starting rotation last year, going 6-3 on the mound with 5.08 ERA in 11 starts and five relief appearances. This season, Kelley is 6-1 with a 3.89 ERA in 12 starts and boasts a 67 strikeout to nine walks ratio.

HALL OF FAME OPENS DOORS TO McCLAIN & HOLMAN
Delta State will induct 10 former Statesmen athletes into the university's Athletics Hall of Fame, including two ballplayers from the DSU's 1996 College World Series team.

Current DSU athletics director Jeremy McClain finished with a career record of 45-9, which included a sterling 15-0 record during his senior season in 1999. He holds five Delta State pitching records, and his 45 wins rank first in Gulf South Conference history and second all-time in the NCAA. McClain also notched a victory over Tampa in the 1996 College World Series.

McClain's former teammate Spencer Holman was an All-GSC selection in 1995, 1996 and 1997, and was also an All-South Region honoree in 1995 and 1996.

McClain played a key role in guiding the Statesmen to the College World Series his junior season, and was named to the event's All-Tournament team.

As a senior in 1997, Holman received the N.L. Cassibry MVP award from his fellow teammates after hitting 23 doubles and recording 65 RBIs.

STATESMEN IN THE PROS
With two players on active Major League Baseball rosters and a bevy of young talented up-and-coming talent, the future looks bright for Delta State's professional players.

Currently, the Statesmen have Eli Whiteside (1999-2001) of the San Francisco Giants and Dusty Hughes (2001-03) of the Kansas City Royals on active MLB rosters.

After a successful spring training Brent Leach (2005) of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. However, Leach remains on the club's 40-man roster.

Edwin Maysonet (SS/Houston Astros) was optioned to the Round Rock Express in Triple-A and he remains a constant on the Astros 40-man roster.

Several Statesmen are fighting their way up the Minor League ranks as well, including Kenny Smalley (P/Oakland) and Devin Goodwin (SS/St. Louis).