Delta State Baseball Game Notes (PDF)
CLEVELAND - The top-ranked Statesmen will travel to Arkadelphia, Ark. to play a pair of non-conference games against former Gulf South Conference school Ouachita Baptist, before facing West Georgia in a pivitol three-game series in the conference race.

Statesmen set for two with OBU
Delta State will face the Tigers with games on Tuesday and Wednesday, both starting at 3 p.m.

The Statesmen hold a decisive 40-13 lead over Ouachita Baptist in the series history between the two programs. Delta State has won the last two meetings between the two schools, with both games in Cleveland.

The last time the Statesmen met with the Tigers in Arkadelphia came in 2009 when DSU swept Ouachita Baptist in a three-game series by a combined score of 34-12.

Delta State looks to secure top spot in GSC with tough battle against West Georgia
Last week the Statesmen opened up a two and a half game lead over Alabama-Huntsville atop the GSC standings with a sweep over Union and help from West Georgia, who took two games from the Chargers. This week, the Statesmen must face the Wolves of West Georgia in a pivotal three-game series.

The Statesmen and Wolves have only met 10 times on the diamond, with Delta State holding a 7-3 advantage in the series. Last season the Statesmen swept West Georgia in Cleveland to close out the regular season. DSU won the three games 12-2, 3-1, and 7-4. Prior to last season the two schools had not met since 1998 in the GSC Tournament. In the Kinnison era, DSU has a 4-1 advantage over West Georgia.

Statesmen continue to sit atop polls
Despite a loss this week to then No. 16/25 Southern Arkansas, the Statesmen remain at the top of two national polls. The Statesmen hold the top spot in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers poll and the College Baseball Lineup. It marks the tenth straight week in the top spot in the CBL. The Statesmen fell to No. 2 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll this week, but have not been below that spot all year.

Chovanec named GSC player of the week
Jordan Chovanec was named the Gulf South Conference Baseball Player of the Week on Tuesday after a big week at the plate against Union and Southern Arkansas. Chovanec recorded at least two hits in all four games played. The junior hit .529 on the week, going 9-for-17 and added a walk for an on-base percentage of .556. Chovanec hit his first home run of the season and fourth of his career with a two-run shot to deep right center at Union. The junior had two hits in each of his first three games this week and finished the week off with a three-hit performance that included two more RBIs. Chovanec finished with five RBIs and scored four runs for the top-ranked Statesmen. The Inez, Texas native also had two stolen bases on the week.

King of the mountain
Senior Ben Kingsley has been a major force at the plate this season for the Green-and-White. The designated hitter comes off a big week that included a grand slam against Union as part of a six RBI week. Kingsley continues to lead the team in RBIs this season with 43 and multiple RBI games with 13. The Mantachie, Miss. native is second on the team with 50 hits and a .368 batting average. Kingsley's grand slam and a three-run home run against Shorter two weeks ago helped him climb into the GSC top five in slugging percentage (.566). Kingsley is also second on the team in multiple hit games with 16, including a four-hit performance and four three-hit games. Kingsley hit two home runs in the first game against North Alabama on March 9 and now has four on the season with home runs in each of the last two weeks.

Manley ranked among the GSC's best
Michael Manley missed a couple starts this season due to an injury, but that hasn't kept the junior from racking up the strikeouts and posting numbers in the top of the Gulf South Conference. Manley sits third on the strikeout list with 61, just six behind the conference lead. Manley is tied for second in the GSC with six wins and ranks in the top five in fewest hits allowed (39), fewest runs allowed (16), and opponent batting average (.200). The Raymond, Miss. native has also been named GSC Pitcher of the week on three separate occasions this season, the only three time winner this season.

No kidding around
Sam Kidd has turned it on in the last two weeks for the Statesmen, proving to be one of the hottest hitters at the plate for DSU. After a six-game skid where the right fielder failed to get a hit, Kidd broke out in a big way with a three hit performance against Shorter and in the last six games, he has reached base safely in every game with a .458 batting average, six RBIs, four runs scored, and no strikeouts. For the year, Kidd is batting .315 with 40 hits, 13 walks, 23 RBIs, 29 runs, and 16 stolen bases.

Branstetter continues to climb charts
The senior ace for the Statesmen has cracked the top-10 in three  major pitching categories this season for the Green-and-White. Branstetter completed his 63rd inning pitched this season against Union, climbing the Pensacola, Fla. native to fourth on the career list with 297 innings pitched.

The win against Union also put Branstetter into 10th on the victories list with 23. He also reached the 200 strikeout mark this season and sits in seventh on the career list with 225.

On the year, Branstetter is 6-1 with a 1.43 ERA, both of which are second in the Gulf South Conference. Branstetter has pitched 63 innings, including three complete games,  in nine starts this season. The right-hander has 50 strikeouts to 10 walks on the season and has limited batters to a GSC-leading .182 batting average against.

Bullpen solid in relief for the Statesmen
The Statesmen bullpen has been solid this season for coach Mike Kinnison. In 36 games, DSU's relievers are 8-1 with a 3.66 ERA.  Garrett Pickens (2-0, 0.00 ERA) and Ricky Winters (3-0, 2.65) have led the way out of the bullpen. Taylor Stark (1-0, 4.50 ERA) leads the team with four saves and 12 appearances. The bullpen has 84 strikeouts in 96 innings pitched, limiting batters to a .253 batting average.

Early and often
The Statesmen have scored first in 23 of 36 games this season and are 22-0-1 in those games. Delta State's offense has produced 143 runs in the first four innings, while Statesmen pitching and defense has allowed only 119 runs in all nine innings this season.

Delta State has outscored opponents in every inning this season except for the seventh, where the Statesmen and opponents have scored 24 runs each. In 97 career games, Kingsley has a .334 average with 125 hits, 90 RBIs and 81 runs scored.

Aldridge makes history with 28-game streak
In his first at bat of the day on Friday, March 29, Tyler Aldridge hit a two out double against West Alabama to break the Statesmen hit streak record shared with Clay Smith, who hit in 27 consecutive games in 2005.

The record for Aldridge dated back to the first game of the season against Montevallo on February 8. Aldridge was unable to record a hit in game two of the doubleheader, stopping the streak at 28.

The senior has been a dominant force in the batter's box for the Statesmen and used the streak to propel to the top of several categories in the Gulf South Conference. The Steens, Miss., native leads the GSC in hits (58), second in batting average (.417), and third in on-base percentage (.494). The former East Mississippi CC transfer leads the Statesmen in multiple hit games with 21 and is second on the team in multiple RBI games with nine. Aldridge also leads the team in stolen bases with 15.

Professional Statesmen
Three former Statesmen, Eli Whiteside (Round Rock, Rangers), Edwin Maysonet (Iowa, Cubs) and Dusty Hughes (Gwinnett, Braves), have all been placed in roles at the AAA level coming out of spring training. 2012 Senior Brandon Hardin has been assigned to Kannapolis, the class-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. Three other 2012 seniors (Aaron Newcomb, James Hudelson, and Jon Carnahan) are also in the lower levels of the minor league system.

700-Club, Kinnison Style
Mike Kinnison, a member of the MS Sports Hall of Fame, joined the 700-win club last season with the Statesmen's regional championship victory over Stillman last season.

With the victory, Kinnison became the quickest coach in NCAA Division II history to reach 700 career wins, completing the feat in his 16th season.

Kinnison is 730-220-2 all time and is the active leader in winning percentage (.768) of coahes with at least 10 years in Division II.