DSU vs UNA Game Notes
Complete Notes and Stats

FLORENCE, Ala.-- the No. 15 Delta State baseball team resumes Gulf South Conference play this weekend with another tough test on hand. The Statesmen (21-8, 7-5 GSC) will face the Lions of North Alabama (26-9, 7-5 GSC) who are ranked No. 8 in the nation for three games. The series gets underway with a Friday doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. before a Saturday finale at 1 p.m.


• The No. 15 ranked Statesmen of Delta State University (20-8, 7-5 GSC) are coming off a three-game sweep of GSC foe West Florida in Pensacola, Fla. last weekend. It was the first time in program history that the Statesmen swept the Argonauts in a 3-game series. The Statesmen also picked up a 13-3 victory against Arkansas-Monticello in a mid-week contest.

• Delta State entered the 2012 season with the most wins all-time in Gulf South Conference history. The Statesmen are 1,752-875-11 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 has been solid on the mound for the Statesmen in his last two starts, as he picked up complete game victories in both to improve his season record to 2-1. Against Valdosta State, Branstetter struck out a career-high 13 batters while issuing no walks. The 13 K's, is also a season high for any Statesmen pitcher.

• Senior pitcher Aaron Newcomb has been impressive as well on the mound for the Statesmen. Newcomb took advantage of run support, as he threw seven innings in a victory over West Florida. The performance earned Newcomb his second GSC Pitcher of the Week award for the 2012 season, and the third time he has been given the award in his career.

• 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 31, 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.

• Redshirt Freshman Jonathan Andrews has been tremoundous for the Statesmen since being called into service. Andrews put together the club's first five hit game of the season when he went 5-for-5 with 4 RBI's in the opening game against West Floirda. Andrews is hitting .361 for the season with 23 RBI's which is third most on the team.

• 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.

STATESMEN SWEEP WEST FLORIDA
For the first time in program history, the Statesmen earned
a three-game sweep over the Argonauts of West Florida. The
sweep came on the road in Pensacola, Fla., and it was the first
time the Argos have been swept since the 2010 season when
Southern Arkansas took three.
The Statesmen got three good performances on the mound
last weekend, as they won by the scores of 8-1, 8-2, 9-3.

NEWCOMB GAINS ANOTHER AWARD
For the second time this season, and for the third time in
his career, Aaron Newcomb has been named the Gulf South
Conference Pithcer of the Week. Newcomb threw the opening
game between the Statesmen and West Florida. He pitched
seven innings, allowed just one earned run, walked four, and
struck out eight.

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 enjoyed a good offensive weekend in
Pensacola, Fla. The Squad tallied 35 hits over the three game
series with the Argonauts. For the season, the Statesmen have
337 hits as a ball club, and are hitting with a .326 average.
The Statesmen's .326 average now leads the GSC, and is four
points higher than Valdosta State. The 322 hits is also second
in the conference to Alabama-Huntsville who has 328, but has
also played in 37 games.

TAKE YOUR BASE
So far in 2012, the Statesmen have reached first base 170
times by either walk, or a hit by pitch. The Statesmen have
amassed 117 walks, and have been by pitches 53 times. Sam
Kidd has been hit a by a pitch a team high 11 times so far this
season. Brent Kakwitch leads the team in walks with 15 so far
in 2012. The Statesmen were issued 10 free passes in the first
inning of last Sunday's game with West Florida.

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 improved his batting average
back to the .300 mark.

PITCHING STAFF AMONG THE BEST
The Statesmen pitching staff has been on the mound for
the long haul this season. Three Statesmen pitchers rank in
the top-10 in the GSC for innings pitched per gem. Aaron
Newcomb leads the GSC with 7.29 innings per game. Josh
Branstetter is second in the conference at 7.25 per game, and
Colton Mitchell is ninth at 5.92 innings per game. As a staff,
the Statesmen have allowed the fewest runs (123), earned
runs (95), and are second in hits allowed (234).

BRANSTETTER GOES THE DISTANCE AGAIN
Josh Branstetter pitched a gem when he took the mound
against Valdosta State. In that game he struck out a career
high 13 batters en route to a complete game victory. He followed
that this past weekend with his second complete game
of the season. The 9-3 victory improved his record to 2-1 on
the season.

SPREADING THE WEALTH
So far this season, the Statesmen have eight players in
double-digits when it comes to RBIs, and five players are over
the 20 RBI mark. Sam Kidd leads the team with 29 RBIs. He
is followed by: Ben Kingsley (26), Jonathan Andrews (23),
Michael Vinson (22), Brent Kakwitch (20), Jon Carnahan (17),
Brent Langston (16), and Jordan Chovanec (10). Also, every
player who has had an at-bat this season for the Statesmen
has at least one RBI.