GAMES 4-7: No. 1 Delta State University versus UA-Monticello | No. 16 Nova Southeastern (2.11-17.13)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - The No. 1 Statesmen (3-0, 0-0 GSC) of Delta State University face a difficult test in week three with a Wednesday, Feb. 13 (1 p.m.) road trip to the University of Arkansas-Monticello (4-3) and a three-game series with No. 16 Nova Southeastern University (5-1) on Friday (3 p.m.) and Saturday (12 p.m. | DH) at Ferriss Field. 

Delta State is coming off a three game sweep of the University of Montevallo (3-4) this past weekend in the season-opening series at Ferriss Field.  The Statesmen took games one and two easily, 11-1 and 7-1, but needed to rally from two runs down in the bottom of the 9th for a 9-8 victory in game three.   

The 2012 Gulf South Conference champions, Delta State University Statesmen, were selected by the coaches to enter the 2013 season as the preseason favorite.  Delta State topped the coaches' poll garnering 48 total points. West Florida boasted two first-place votes to place second with 43 points, while North Alabama secured third place with 36 points. Both Alabama-Huntsville and Valdosta State tied for fourth with 29 points each.  West Alabama recorded 18 points for fifth place, followed by West Georgia with 14. Rounding out the eight-team preseason coaches' poll was Christian Brothers with seven points.

Delta State University placed five players on the 2013 Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll All-GSC Team.  The five Statesmen named to the squad included Jordan Chovanec (CF), Colton Mitchell (LHP), Sam Kidd (RF), Michael Vinson (LF) and Josh Branstetter (RHP).

The Statesmen will begin the 2013 campaign ranked No. 2 in the nation in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's annual NCAA Division II Preseason Top 40 Poll.  The GSC featured three teams in the annual preseason prognostication, including No. 2 DSU, No. 16 West Florida and No. 30 North Alabama.  The Statesmen will also face ranked opponents in No. 19 Nova Southeastern, No. 24 Southern Arkansas, and No. 32 Florida Southern.

The Statesmen feature four players on the Tino Martinez NCAA DII National Player of the Year Preseason Watch List.  Led by ABCA All-American Michael Vinson, the group also includes rightfielder Sam Kidd, right-handed pitcher Josh Branstetter and left-handed pitcher Colton Mitchell.

Coach Mike Kinnison begins his 17th season as head coach of the Statesmen.  In his previous 16 seasons as head coach, Kinnison has guided the Statesmen to the 2004 NCAA National title, five College World Series appearances, eight NCAA South Regional appearances, 11 GSC Western Division titles, five NCAA South/South-Central Regional championships and five Gulf South Conference titles.

UP NEXT
Delta State will welcome Mississippi Valley State University on Tuesday, Feb. 19 (2 p.m.) before hosting No. 32 Florida Southern College for a three-game series over the weekend at Ferriss Field.  

STATESMEN AND BOLL WEEVILS RENEW RIVALRY
Former GSC foe Arkansas-Monticello and Delta State will renew their rivalry on the diamond this season for a two game, home-and-home series.  DSU travels to UAM on Wednesday, Feb. 13 for a 1 p.m. showdown. 

The Statesmen have dominated the series over the years, boasting a 75-5 lead all-time in the standings.

IN-REGION CLASH SET FOR STATESMEN & SHARKS
The Statesmen ended the season last year for Nova Southeastern with an 8-5 victory over the Sharks in the NCAA South Region Tournament.  All signs this season point to the in-region showdown playing a major factor in regional seeding down the road. 

This weekend's three-game series marks the Sharks first-ever visit to Ferriss Field and just the fourth time the two schools will have met on the diamond.  DSU owns a slim 3-0 edge in the series standings. 

STATESMEN SWEEP FALCONS TO OPEN 2013 SEASON
Delta State is coming off a three game sweep of the University of Montevallo (3-4) this past weekend in the season-opening series at Ferriss Field.  The Statesmen took games one and two easily, 11-1 and 7-1, but needed to rally from two runs down in the bottom of the 9th for a 9-8 victory in game three.   

MOORE WINS SEASON-OPENER
Senior right-hander Jordan Moore claimed the season-opening victory in his first start of the season, 11-1, over the Montevallo Falcons. 

The Calhoun City, Miss., native worked 4.0 innings allowing one run with a walk and four strikeouts in the victory.  Moore is now 13-3 all-time in his career at DSU.

BULLPEN MAKES SOLID SHOWING VERSUS UM
Statesmen relievers Ricky Winters, Garrett Pickens and Michael Manley all made strong showings in the opening series versus Montevallo out of the bullpen. 

Winters (1-0) claimed the victory for the Statesmen in game two after tossing two scoreless innings of relief.  Pickens (1-0), who sat out last season due to an injury, did the same in game three after keeping the Falcons off the board in the 8th and 9th innings of a 9-8 DSU come-from-behind win.

Manley worked four scoreless innings of relief in Friday's 11-1 win over UM.  The junior transfer walked one and struck out five Falcon batters. 

IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR
Freshman catcher Ben Pickard made the most of his first collegiate start, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a two-run home run and three RBIs in DSU's 9-8 come-from-behind win in game three versus Montevallo. 

Pickard is the younger brother of former Statesmen first baseman and 2004 College World Series MVP Bert Pickard.    

DELTA STATE PICKED TO REPEAT AS GSC CHAMPIONS
The 2012 Gulf South Conference champions, Delta State University, was selected by the coaches to enter the 2013 season as the preseason favorite on Wednesday.  Traditional power Delta State topped the coaches' poll garnering 48 total points. West Florida boasted two first-place votes to place second with 43 points, while North Alabama secured third place with 36 points. Both Alabama-Huntsville and Valdosta State tied for fourth with 29 points each.

West Alabama recorded 18 points for fifth place, followed by West Georgia, with 14. Rounding out the eight-team preseason coaches' poll was Christian Brothers, with seven points.

DSU also enters the season ranked No. 2 in the nation in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper's Top 40 Preseason Poll, while UWF and UNA (tied with Missouri-St. Louis) collected the No. 16 and No. 30 positions, respectively.

STATESMEN PLACE FIVE ON PRESEASON ALL-GSC
Ten 2012 All-GSC First Team standouts highlight the 20-member 2013 Baseball Preseason All-GSC Team, led by five Statesmen.   Overall, Delta State returned the most players with five, followed by West Florida and North Alabama, which added four each. Alabama-Huntsville and West Alabama both had two players, while Christian Brothers, West Georgia and Valdosta State all rounded out the contingent with one player each.

The five Statesmen named to the squad included Jordan Chovanec (CF), Colton Mitchell (LHP), Sam Kidd (RF), Michael Vinson (LF) and Josh Branstetter (RHP).

STATESMEN OPEN CAMPAIGN AGAINST FORMER GSC FOE
A familiar foe will invade Ferriss Field for the season-opener Friday, February 8, as the Falcons (0-0) of the University of Montevallo travel to Cleveland for a three-game series with the Statesmen.  Friday's first pitch is set for 3 p.m.  Saturday and Sunday's games are scheduled for 1 p.m.

DSU and UM have enjoyed a long and competitve series with the Statesmen owning a 29-9 edge in the standings.  The Statesmen swept last season's three-game series at Montevallo 24-3, 17-10 and 20-4 at Johnson Field. 

STATESMEN RANK NO.1 ALL-TIME IN WINS IN GSC
Delta State University baseball holds the distinction of owning the most conference titles (12) in Gulf South Conference history.  DSU also holds the honor of being the all-time winningest program in league history with 1,780 victories.  Since 1933, the Statesmen are 1,780-880-11. 

TOUGH FEBRUARY FOR GREEN-AND-WHITE
As the Statesmen begin their quest for a return trip to Cary, N.C., February's schedule features a tough road of opponents for the green-and-white.  After this past weekend's sweep of Montevallo, DSU welcomes No. 16 Nova Southeastern for three games on Feb. 15-16 and closes out the month with perinnial power No. 32 Florida Southern on Feb. 23-24. 

NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES
The Statesmen feature four players on the Tino Martinez NCAA DII National Player of the Year Watch List.  Led by ABCA All-American Michael Vinson, the group also includes rightfielder Sam Kidd, right-handed pitcher Josh Branstetter and left-handed pitcher Colton Mitchell.

Vinson played in 62 games last season with 60 starts in left field.  The Southaven, Miss., native led the Statesmen in RBIs (53), doubles (15), triples (3), home runs (5) and was second on the team in batting average (.342) and hits (75). 

Kidd is the only player returning who played in all 64 games last season for the Statesmen.  The Hartford, Ky., native was second on the team with 51 RBIs, 75 hits and 19 stolen bases.  He finished the year hitting .310 with 10 doubles, two triples and four home runs. 

Two of the top pitchers in all of DII, Josh Branstetter and Colton Mitchell combined for a 15-5 record in 2010 and 192 strikeouts.  Branstetter, a native of Pensacola, Fla., went 7-3 with a 3.01 ERA and a team-high 104 strikeouts.  Mitchell, a Lake, Miss., native, was 8-2 with a 3.50 ERA and 88 strikeouts. 

THE FASTEST STATESMEN ON TWO FEET
Redshirt junior Jordan Chovanec climbed his way into the starting centerfield position from week one last season and showed just how valuable his speed would be for the Statesmen. 

In 63 games, Chovanec led the team in hits (78) and stolen bases (30), while ranking second in runs scored with 57.  The Inez, Texas native's 30 stolen bases were the third most in school history and ranked third in the GSC.  His 78 hits were the most in the league last year.

NO KIDDING AROUND
Senior rightfielder Sam Kidd takes his job seriously.  It's a simple job, defend right field and set the table for the Statesmen offense.  The former University of Kentucky transfer led the GSC in runs scored last season with 70, besting anyone in the league by 13 runs. 

In 64 games, all starts, the Hartford, Ky., native batted .310 with 10 doubles, two triples, four home runs and knocked in 51 runs.  In 122 chances in RF, Kidd committed just four errors and delivered five outfield assists. 

“COOKIE MONSTER” RETURNS
It's a nickname that took some time to sink in for junior first baseman Brent Langston.  The Southaven, Miss., native is affectionately referred to as the “Cookie Monster” for his ability to gobble up, just like the Sesame Street character, any throw at first base. 

Langston faced 511 chances in 2012 and committed just three errors to finish with a .994 fielding percentage.  Langston also produced at the plate, batting .272 with 11 doubles, four home runs and 36 RBIs.     
  
LOOKING FOR THE CROWN IN 2013
Senior designated hitter Ben Kingsley is coming off a solid junior campaign that saw the former Meridian CC transfer hit safely in 17-straight games and drive in 47 runs in 2012.  In 62 games, including 60 starts at DH, the Mantachie, Miss., native hit .315 with 75 hits in 238 at-bats.  He collected 14 doubles, two triples and three home runs along the way, while going 15-for-15 in stolen base attempts. 

700-CLUB KINNISON STYLE
Delta State University head baseball coach Mike Kinnison, a member of the MS Sports Hall of Fame, joined the 700-win club last season. He enters the year with a 706-216-1 record.

COVERED LIKE PLASTIC WRAP
The trio of Tyler Aldridge (2B), Jonathon Andrews (SS) and Josh Crowdus (SS) manned the middle of the Statesmen defense last season, producing quality numbers offensively and defensively. 

Aldridge, who blossomed in the postseason, hit .321 last year with 12 doubles and 23 RBIs while playing 62 games at second base with 55 starts. 

Crowdus started the season at shortstop, but missed the majority of the year with a broken finger.  Jonathon Andrews stepped in and provided some offensive firepower.  Crowdus finished the season hitting .257 with 14 RBIs, while Andrews collected a .333 average with 26 RBIs. 

DID YOU KNOW...
Former Delta State head coach and Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer Dave “Boo” Ferriss made his professional debut on April 29, 1945?  In fact, Ferriss through a complete-game five-hit shutout in Boston's 2-0 win over Philadelphia.  The Shaw, Miss., native was also 3-for-3 at the plate with a run scored.