Statesmen Baseball Notes-VSU (PDF)
CLEVELAND - The Statesmen will face the Blazers of Valdosta State in a pivotal three-game series this weekend. The Statesmen hold a 2.5 game lead over Alabama-Huntsville for the top spot in the Gulf South Conference Standings.

The Statesmen and Blazers have met 22 times on the diamond, with the two teams tied at 11-11 in the series. Last season the Statesmen and Blazers split the season series with two wins a piece. Valdosta took two of three from the Statesmen in the regular season and the Statesmen won the only meeting in the post season, at the Gulf South Conference tournament.

Statesmen win streak reaches 10 with victories over Henderson State
The Delta State University Statesmen Baseball team closed out the home portion of the 2012-13 regular season with a doubleheader sweep over Henderson State 6-3 and 4-1.

The Statesmen used a four-run inning in the fifth to propel past the Reddies in game one. After a Jordan Chovanec walk and a Tyler Aldridge single, Ben Kingsley hit his fifth homerun of the season to break a 2-2 tie.

In game two, the Statesmen broke a 1-1 tie with another fifth inning burst of runs. Dex Herrington and Chovanec each reached base with walks to start the inning. Kasey Hinton then reached on a bunt single to load the bases. All three then advanced a base on a wild pitch, as Herrington scored to give Delta State the lead. Following a Kidd walk to load the bases again, the Statesmen added another run as Chovanec scored on a fielder's choice and Hinton scored on a fielding error as Sam Kidd was out at second base and the throw from the shortstop got passed first base.

The Statesmen finished the regular season schedule with a 25-3 record at Ferriss Field.

Statesmen continue to atop polls
Delta State remained stationary in the polls this week after defeating Ouachita and West Georiga in all five games. The Statesmen hold the top spot in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers poll and the College Baseball Lineup. It marks the 11th straight week in the top spot in the CBL. The Statesmen stayed  No. 2 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper poll this week, but have not been below that spot all year.

The Statesmen also were named No.2 in the initial NCAA South Region poll that came out Wednesday behind Tampa despite having a 33-5-1 In-Region record compared to Tampa's 20-7 in-region record. Tampa is 33-9 on the season Last season the Statesmen won the South Region in Tampa.

King of the mountain
Ben Kingsley has been a major force at the plate this season for the Green-and-White. The designated hitter enters this weeks contest on a hot streak that includes going 14-for-28 in the last seven games with seven RBIs and five runs scored. Kingsley hit a three-run homerun this week against Henderson State and now has five on the season, leading the Statesmen. Kingsley's home run gave him his 50th RBI of the season, also a team lead. The senior also leads the Statesmen in slugging percentage (.573), doubles (13), and multiple RBI games (15), including four games with four RBIs. Kingsley is second on the team in batting average (.390), hits (64), and multiple hit games (21). He has recorded multiple hits in three straight contests, including a four hit games against West Georgia on Sunday.

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 fourth on the strikeout list with 63, just seven behind the conference lead. Manley is tied for third in the GSC with six wins and ranks in fewest hits allowed, fewest runs allowed, and opponent batting average (.209). 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 three 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 13 games, he is 17-for-51 with a .33 batting average. Kidd has 10 RBIs and 10 runs scored. Kidd also hit his first homerun of the season, a grand slam, against West Georgia on Sunday, as part of a three hit game.

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 71st inning pitched this season against West Georgia, climbing the Pensacola, Fla. native to fourth on the career list with 305 innings pitched.

The win against West Georgia also put Branstetter into 9th on the victories list with 24. He also hit the 200 strikeout mark this season and sits in seventh on the career list with 230.

On the year, Branstetter is 7-1 with a 1.27 ERA, which is first in the Gulf South Conference. Branstetter has pitched 71 innings, including three complete games,  in ten starts this season. The right-hander has 55 strikeouts to 10 walks on the season and has limited batters to a GSC-leading .202 batting average against.

Bullpen solid in relief for the Statesmen
The Statesmen bullpen has been solid this season for coach Mike Kinnison. In 43 games, DSU's relievers are 12-1 with a 3.15 ERA.  Garrett Pickens (2-0, 0.00 ERA) and Ricky Winters (4-0, 2.22) have led the way out of the bullpen, along with Taylor Stark. Stark (3-0, 3.05 ERA) leads the team with five saves and 15 appearances. The bullpen has 102 strikeouts in 120 innings pitched, limiting batters to a .243 batting average.

Early and often
The Statesmen have scored first in 28 of 43 games this season and are 27-0-1 in those games. Delta State's offense has produced 164 runs in the first four innings, while Statesmen pitching and defense has allowed only 137 total runs in all nine innings this season.

Delta State has outscored opponents in every inning this season except for the seventh, where the Statesmen have 25 runs to the opponents 26 runs.

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 (65), third in batting average (.394), and fourth in on-base percentage (.474). The former East Mississippi CC transfer leads the Statesmen in multiple hit games with 22 and is second on the team in multiple RBI games with nine. Aldridge also leads the team in stolen bases with 19.

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 740-221-2 all time and is the active leader in winning percentage (.768) of coaches with at least 10 years in Division II.