GAME NOTES: No.3 Statesmen vs. UWA and OBU
Complete Notes and Statistics

CLEVELAND -- The No.3 Delta State baseball team continues its' 13-game home stand this weekend as they host West Alabama to continue Gulf South Conference play. After three games this weekend with the Tigers, the Statesmen will host former GSC foe Ouachita Baptist for pair of mid-week games. 

• The No. 3 ranked Statesmen of Delta State University (14-3, 2-1 GSC) continue a 13-game home stand this weekend as
they resume GSC play by hosting the Tigers of West Alabama. After the weekend series, the Statesmen will host former GSC
foe Ouachita Baptist for a pair of mid-week games.

• The Statesmen opened up the 2012 season with six straight wins, and have won six of their last seven games. This past
weekend the Statesmen took two of three games from Abilene Christian. The Statesmen followed that series win by sweeping
Lake Erie College mid-week series. It was the first time the Statesmen have faced the Storm, and the squad picked up their
first shutout victory of the season by routing the Storm 16-0 in game one.

• Delta State entered the 2012 season with the most wins all-time in Gulf South Conference history. The Statesmen are
1,745-870-11 in program history, including 11 GSC titles and the 2004 NCAA Division II National Championship.

• Defending NCAA DII and GSC champion West Florida was picked to repeat as league champions this year in the annual GSC
Preseason Coaches Poll. The Statesmen (40) were picked third behind the UWF (44) and the North Alabama (43).

• Coach Mike Kinnison is in his 16th season as skipper of the Statesmen. Over the 15+ seasons, the Mississippi Sports Hall of
Famer has compiled an enviable 668-204-1 record with four GSC championships, four NCAA DII College World Series appearances,
and the 2004 NCAA DII National Championship.

• Josh Branstetter, a junior right-hander from Pensacola, Fla., returns as one of the top pitchers in the league this season and
was named to the Preseason-All-GSC Team. In 76.1 innings last season, Branstetter was 7-2 on the bump with a careerbest
2.59 ERA. He walked a mere 11 batters with 49 strikeouts while the opposition hit just .237 against him. Branstetter
has yet to pick up a decision so far this season, but has been solid on the mound. Currently, Branstetter has a 2.38 ERA in five
starts.

• Senior pitcher Aaron Newcomb has been impressive as well on the mound for the Statesmen. Newcomb made his fourth
start of the season this past weekend against Abilene Christian. Newcomb pitched 8 innings, gave up four runs, and struck
out six to improve to 4-0 on the season.

• Sam Kidd has been outstanding in the lead off role for the Statesmen this season. The junior transfer from the University of
Kentucky, leads the team in RBI's with 20, and leads the team in home runs with three. Kidd also leads the squad in runs
scored with 25, and has been hit by a pitch a team high six times.

• Junior transfer Ben Kingsley has been swinging a hot bat so far this season for the Statesmen. Kingsley is currently on a
13-game hitting streak, and is hitting with a .361 average so far.

SEASON OPENING SUCCESS
Opening day has come to be known as a successful day for the
Statesmen under head coach Mike Kinnison. Since taking over
the squad in 1997, the Statesmen are 13-3 on opening day
under his direction.

HOME SWEET HOME
The Statesmen continue on with their 13-game home stand
this weekend with three GSC games against West Alabama.
The home stand will continue during the week as the
Statesmen host former GSC foe Ouachita Baptist for a pair of
games.

STATESMEN PICKED TO FINISH THIRD IN GSC RACE
The Delta State baseball team was picked to finish third by
the coaches in the conference for the upcoming season. West
Florida and North Alabama were both tied atop the preseason
rankings each with 44 points. West Florida, the defending
national champion, received one more first place vote than
North Alabama.
No. 32 Delta State is next in the poll with 40 points. The Statesmen
received one first place vote, three second place votes,
and three votes for third.
After the Statesmen is Valdosta State in fourth and West
Alabama in fifth. Next is Alabama-Huntsville in sixth and West
Georgia picked seventh. Christian Brothers rounds out the poll
in eighth.

BRANSTETTER/NEWCOMB NAMED PRESEASON ALL-GSC;
MITCHELL, BABIN & KINGSLEY NAMED TO WATCH LIST
The Gulf South Conference also named their 2012 Pre-Season
All-GSC team. Two Statesmen pitchers find themselves on the
squad. Junior Aaron Newcomb and junior Josh Branstetter
were picked to the team.
Pitcher Cullen Babin, outfielder Ben Kingsley, and pitcher
Colton Mitchell, all three juniors, were picked as top-newcomers
to the conference for the Statesmen.

DELTA STATE GUNNING FOR 12th GSC TITLE; HOLD
RECORD FOR MOST LEAGUE CROWNS
The Statesmen enter the 2012 season gunning for their 12th
Gulf South Conference Championship in a league that will
sport a new look and feel this year. Delta State holds the GSC
record for most championships (11), GSC postseason wins
(62), semifinals appearances (24) and finals appearances (14).
No other school has more than five titles.

DELTA STATE'S GSC CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS
1978 43-19 (14-4)
1979 32-20 (12-6)
1985 38-20 (7-5)
1988 44-13 (13-1)
1991 33-12 (11-2)
1994 45-13 (19-4)
1996 53-8 (15-1)
2000 48-12 (13-3)
2003 52-10 (28-4)
2004 54-11 (19-3)
2008 48-11 (17-1)

STATESMEN OPEN SEASON RANKED 8th; NEWCOMB
NAMED TO PERFECT GAME PROSPECT LIST
The Delta State baseball team has been tabbed by
perfectgame.org as the eighth best team in the country. The
website released their 2012 NCAA Division II Preview this
week, and had high marks for the Statesmen.
The University of Tampa was tabbed as the No. 1 team in the
poll, and was followed by Grand Valley State (Mich.), and
Francis Marion (S.C.).
Senior pitcher Aaron Newcomb is listed as the Statesmen's
top prospect. The Centralia, Ill. native, transferred to Delta
State from Olney Central Community College (Ill.). Newcomb
finished the 2011 season with a 7-7 record, and an ERA of 4.43
for the Statesmen. He pitched 85.1 innings, walked 19 batters,
and fanned 77.
Newcomb is listed as the 49th best prospect in Div. II on the
perfectgame.org site. Stephen Johnson, a right-handed
pitcher for St. Edwards (Texas) is listed as the top overall
prospect in NCAA Div. II. Tampa leads the way on the prospect
list with five players, all listed in the top-25.

STATESMEN RANK NO.1 ALL-TIME IN WINS IN GSC
Delta State University baseball holds the distinction of owning
the most conference titles (11) in Gulf South Conference
history. DSU also holds the honor of being the all-time winningest
program in league history with 1,745 victories. Since
1933, the Statesmen are 1,745-870-11.

NEWCOMB SETS NEW CAREER HIGH
Aaron Newcomb, the Statesmen right hander set a career high
for strikeouts against Alabama-Huntsville earlier this season.
Newcomb fanned 12 batters, and allowed just one earned run
in a complete game victory.
The performance earned Newcomb Pitcher of the Week honors
from the Gulf South Conference.

STATESMEN TAKE TWO OF THREE FROM ACU
The Statesmen renewed an old rivalry this past weekend, as
they hosted Abilene Christian. The Statesmen used late runs in
game one to pull away with a 9-4 victory.
The Wildcats came back in game two with three runs in the
seventh inning to split the double-header 6-3. The Statesmen
came back in closing game of the series with a walk-off run in
the ninth inning to win 7-6. With the victories, the Statesmen
now hold an 18-9 series record against the Wildcats.

STATESMEN SWEEP LAKE ERIE
The Statesmen played host to Lake Erie College for the first
time in program history earlier this week. The Statesmen gave
the Storm a rude awakening to Ferriss Field by rolling in the
first game to a 16-0 victory. It was the first shutout of the
season for the statesmen.
The Statesmen offense kept put runs on the board in the
second game, as they swept the series with a 12-6 victory.

KINGSLEY'S GOING STREAKING
Ben Kingsley, a junior transfer from Meridian Community
College, has been hot at the plate for the Statesmen this
season. Currently Kingsley is on a 13 game hitting streak, the
longest hitting streak for any Statesman so far this season.

THE HITS KEEP ON COMING
The Statesmen bats stayed hot over the last five games. As a
team, the Statesmen have amassed 213 hits so far this season.
The 213 hits have come in 629 at bats for the squad, as the
Statesmen are hitting with a team batting average of .339.

TAKE YOUR BASE
So far in 2012, the Statesmen have reached first base 103
times by either walk, or a hit by pitch. The Statesmen have
amassed 72 walks, and have been by pitches 31 times. Sam
Kidd has been hit a by a pitch a team high six times so far this
season.

RALLYING LATE
The Statesmen this season have saved their best offensive
innings for last. Five times the squad have comeback to either
win or tie the game in the ninth inning. The Statesmen used
a ninth inning run to win the deciding game against Abilene
Christian this past weekend 7-6.

WHEN IN ROME
This season the Gulf South Conference will be moving the
league's championship tournament to Rome, Ga., and State
Mutual Stadium, home of the Rome Braves.
The Rome Braves are a Class A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.
The GSC Tournament is scheduled for May 5-9 and tickets will
go on sale March 15 at GSCSports.org or by calling the Rome
Braves' Ticket Office at (706) 368-9388.

THE LEAD OFF KIDD
Sam Kidd, a junior transfer from the University of Kentucky,
has been the lead off hitter for the Statesmen. Kidd has
excelled so far in that role as he is batting .322. Kidd also
leads the team in RBIs with 20, runs scored with 25, and in
home runs with three. Kidd hit two home runs against Florida
Southern, and added a third against Alabama-Huntsville
earlier this season, and has amassed six stolen bases in seven
attempts.

GETTING IT DONE ON THE MOUND
The Statesmen pitching staff is off to a good start in 2012.
All five starting pitchers turned in quality starts for the
Statesmen. Josh Branstetter, Colton Mitchell, and Aaron
Newcomb were all good on the mound against Abilene
Christian. Jordan Moore, and Drew Milligan also turned
in quality starts in the mid-week series against Lake Erie.
Including the Bullpen, the Statesmen pitching staff has a team
ERA of 2.83.

STATESMEN GO YARD
The Statesmen added another home run to the team total.
Michael Vinson hit a home run in the series against Abilene
Christian this past weekend. It was Vinson's second home run
of the season. The Statesmen have tallied 12 home runs as a
team so far this season.

SPREADING THE WEALTH
So far this season, the Statesmen have seven players in
double-digits when it comes to RBIs. Sam Kidd leads the way
with 20 followed by Michael Vinson (19), Ben Kingsley (18),
Brent Langston (14), Brent Kakwitch and Jon Carnahan each
have 13, and Jonathan Andrews has 11.