Game Notes Week 8 (UWF)
Complete Notes and Stats


CLEVELAND -- The Delta State Univeristy baseball team hits the road this weekend, as they travel to Pensacola, Fla. to face defending national champion No. 11 West Florida. Both the Statesmen and the Argonauts are looking to pick up important Gulf South Conference wins. 


SIDEBARS, STREAKS, & STORYLINES
•   The No. 23 ranked Statesmen of Delta State University (17-8, 4-5 GSC) ended a 12-game home stand last weekend, as they avoided being swept by Valdosta State with a Sunday victory 10-5. The Statesmen began their week of road games this past Wednesday as they took on former GSC foe Southern Arkansas. The MuleRiders were able to squeak by the Statesmen 4-3 in 12 innings of play. The Statesmen now hit the road again, as they travel to face defending national champion No. 11 West Florida for a pivotal three-game GSC series.
•   The Statesmen opened up the 2012 season with six straight wins, and  had been on a streak where they won six-of-seven games. However the Statesmen dropped two GSC series' while at home in back-to-back weekends. The Statesmen got a gem of a performance from junior Josh Branstetter, as they avoided the sweep to Valdosta behind his complete game victory.
•   Delta State entered the 2012 season with the most wins all-time in Gulf South Conference history.  The Statesmen are 1,747-872-11 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 671-209-1 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 career-best 2.59 ERA.  He walked a mere 11 batters with 49 strikeouts while the opposition hit just .237 against him. Branstetter suffered a loss this past weekend against UWA, and it was his first decision of the season. Branstetter picked up his first win of the season this past weekend, as he threw a complete game victory against the Blazers. Branstetter also struck out a career-high 13 batters, and did not give up a single walk.
•   Senior pitcher Aaron Newcomb has been impressive as well on the mound for the Statesmen. Newcomb has had back- to-back rough starts for the Statesmen. He pitched 7 innings against the Blazers, and gave up five earned run on 11 hits. Newcomb did strike out seven without issuing a single walk. 
•   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 26, and leads the team in home runs with three.  Kidd also leads the squad in runs scored with 31, and has been hit by a pitch a team high nine times.
•   Junior transfer Ben Kingsley tied a GSC season-high with a 17-game hitting streak. The streak came to an end in the opening game against Valdosta State.
•   Sophomore pitcher Ricky Winters was solid again for the Statesmen on the mound against Southern Arkansas. Winters pitched five shutout innings, allowed just three hits, walked one, and struck out four.                  


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.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN
After going 7-5 for their 12-game home stand, the Statesmen are back on the road this week. They travel to face defending national champion West Florida for three games in Pensacola, Fla.

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 1,747 victories.  Since 1933, the Statesmen are 1,747-872-11. 

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 LOOK TO GAIN MOMENTUM
After a quick start to their season, the Statesmen are looking to regain momentum after dropping back-to-back GSC series for the first time since 2010. The squad dropped two-of-three to the Blazers of Valdosta State this past weekend. With the loss to SAU as well, the Statesmen have dropped three-of-four games.

STATESMEN SHUTDOWN IN EXTRAS BY SAU
The Statesmen traveled to Magnolia, Ark. on Wednesday to take on the MuleRiders of Southern Arkansas. After getting on the board first 3-0, the Statesmen were shutout over the next nine innings, as SAU came away with a 4-3 victory in 12 innings.

KINGSLEY TIES GSC SEASON HIT STREAK
Ben Kingsley, a junior transfer from Meridian Community College, had his 17-game hitting streak come to an end against Valdosta State. The 17 games ties the season high for any GSC player. Micah Reeves of West Alabama had a 17-game hitting streak earlier this season.

THE HITS KEEP ON COMING
The Statesmen bats stayed hot over the last five games. As a team, the Statesmen have amassed 287 hits so far this season.

The 287 hits have come in 898 at bats for the squad, as the Statesmen are hitting with a team batting average of .320 which leads the Gulf South Conference.  The average is 10 points higher than the second best hitting team in the GSC, Valdosta State. The Statesmen also lead the conference in on-base percentage (.412), RBIs (187), and are second in slugging percentage at (.440)

TAKE YOUR BASE
So far in 2012, the Statesmen have reached first base 149 times by either walk, or a hit by pitch. The Statesmen have amassed 108 walks, and have been by pitches 41 times. Sam Kidd has been hit a by a pitch a team high nine times so far this season. Brent Kakwitch leads the team in walks with 14 so far in 2012.

DENYING THE OPPOSING LUMBER
The Statesmen pitching staff has done a good job this season not allowing the opposing team to rack up hits. The Statesmen have allowed the second fewest hits of any Gulf South Conference team with 209. Valdosta State has allowed the fewest with 200.

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 .291. Kidd also leads the team in RBIs with 26, runs scored with 31, 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 eight stolen bases in nine attempts.

STATESMEN GO YARD
The Statesmen added to their home run total this season with three long balls over the past week. Brent Kakwitch hit his first of the season against West Alabama, Ben Kingsley hit his second of the season against the Tigers as well, and Kris Koerper crushed his second homer of the season against Ouachita Baptist. The home runs now give the Statesmen 15 on the season.

BRANSTETTER STRIKES OUT A CAREER HIGH
Josh Branstetter pitched a gem the last time he took the mound, which came against Valdosta State. Branstetter pitched a complete game, and struck out a career-high 13 batters without allowing a single walk. The 13 K's are a season high for any Statesmen pitcher, and are three off the single game record for DSU.

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 26 followed by Ben Kingsley (24), Michael Vinson (20), Brent Kakwitch (19), Jonathan Andrews (18), Brent Langston (16), Jon Carnahan (15)