GAME NOTES: Palm Beach Atlantic (4-4) @ Delta State (3-1)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - Delta State will square-off with Palm Beach Atlantic on Friday and Saturday for a three game series at Harvey Stadium. This week's series marks the first-ever trip for the Sailfish to Cleveland. Friday's game is set for a 3 p.m. first pitch, with Saturday's doubleheader slated for noon. Matt Jones will have the call on the Statesmen Sports Network starting 15 minutes prior to first pitch with the DSU Alumni Association Dugout Report.

PBA and DSU have met just three times on the diamond.  The Statesmen opened the 2014 season in West Palm Beach, Fla., as Palm Beach Atlantic took 2-of-3 in the series. PBA won game one 4-2 and game three 6-4. DSU managed to take game two, 8-7, at Roger Dean Stadium.

The Sailfish are coached by former MLB pitcher Kent Bottenfield (90-107-01/5th) and are off to a 4-4 start this season. PBA won the series opener against West Alabama 2-1 last Saturday before dropping the final two games 13-1 and 7-2.

DELTA STATE SWEEPS HARDING TO OPEN SEASON
The Statesmen broke out the brooms this past weekend, sweeping Harding University 11-5, 2-1 and 5-4 to open the 2016 season and christen Harvey Stadium at Ferriss Field.

In game one, Dalton Moats worked 6.0 innings in his first start as a Statesman en route to an 11-5 win. The Kansas City, Mo., native allowed five runs on seven hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

Will Robertson made a memorable return to the field, going 2-for-4 with a home run, double and three RBIs in game one. The senior from Falkner, Miss., missed the entire 2015 season.

Tre Hobbs, a junior transfer from Mississippi Delta CC, worked 5.2 innings in his first start for DSU in a 2-1 game two victory. The Greenville, Miss., native allowed one run on five hits with six strikeouts.

Ethan Gill connected on his second home run of the day, a towering blast to left, which put the Statesmen up 2-0 after the first inning. Nick Morgan, who singled to open the inning, scored on the play.

Sunday's series finale proved to be the most exciting game of the weekend, as Ben Pickard gave the Statesmen a 5-4 walk-off win with his double to left-center in the bottom of the ninth to erase a 4-1 deficit.

Jake Brumfield struck out a career-high nine batters in his first start for the Statesmen, but did not factor in the decision. Junior reliever Bryant Johnston (1-0) grabbed the win in relief.

Robertson, Gill and Pickard each recorded three hits and were responsible for every run produced by the Statesmen.

DELTA STATE STUMBLES 13-10 AT ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO
After opening the season with a three-game sweep of Harding, the Statesmen dropped their first game of the season, 13-10, at the University of Arkansas-Monticello. The Boll Weevils (3-1) used an eight-run seventh inning to erase a 9-3 deficit and upend Delta State (3-1) at Weevils Field on Tuesday.

Brandon Cummins had four hits, while Trent Giambrone drove in three runs to lead the Statesmen.

Austin Rice returned to action after missing the 2015 season due to an injury. Rice worked five innings allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks.

GIAMBRONE WARMING UP AT PLATE
Through four games this season, senior second baseman Trent Giambrone is leading the Statesmen in batting average (.462) and hits (6). The Metaire, La., native is 6-for-13 with a double, one home run and three RBIs. He has also scored three runs.

ROBERTSON MAKES MOST OF RETURN OPPORTUNITY
Leftfielder Will Robertson, a 5-foot-10, 200-pound senior, was forced to sit out the 2015 season after hurting his elbow the previous summer. After working his way back through surgery, he made an immediate impact in DSU's 11-5 game one win, going 2-for-4 with a home run, double and three RBIs.

In Sunday's series finale, The Falkner, Miss., native was 3-for-5 with a double, solo home run, two runs scored and he drove in one.

In 2014, Robertson was named ABCA/Rawlings All South Region First-Team, GSC All-Tournament Team and All-GSC Second-Team after leading the league in hits with 62 and batting average (.388).

GILL DELIVERS BIG WEEKEND AT THE PLATE
Third baseman Ethan Gill picked up right where he left off last season, batting .417 for the weekend versus a quality Harding pitching staff. The senior from Pontotoc, Miss., was 5-for-12 at the plate with a double, two home runs and a team-high six RBIs in the series sweep of the Bisons.

In Monday's loss at UA-Monticello, Gill was 1-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored.

Gill hit .325 as a junior for DSU with a team high 14 doubles, 10 home runs and 51 RBIs.  

QUALITY STARTS & DEEP RELIEF
All three Delta State starters this past weekend recorded quality outings for the Statesmen pitching staff. Dalton Moats (6.0 IP, 5R, 4 K), Tre Hobbs (5.2 IP, 1R, 6K) and Jake Brumfield (5.0 IP, 3R, 9K) gave their teammates ample opportunity at the plate.    

FIVE STATESMEN TO OPEN SPRING WITH MLB CLUBS
Delta State Baseball will have five active players and one coach open Spring Training this February with MLB clubs. Witt Haggard (Mets) and Drew Milligan (Royals), a pair of 2015 draftees, and Garrett Pickens (Blue Jays) and Carlos Leal (Brewers)will report to Minor League training, while Brent Leach (Dodgers), who recently signed a contract with L.A., is awaiting assignment.

Former All-American catcher and two-time World Series champion Eli Whiteside will begin his second season as San Francisco's catching coach. The New Albany, Miss., native retired after a 13-year professional career with the Giants, Orioles, Cubs, Braves and Rangers last January. San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy wasted little time in adding the veteran to his staff.

Edwin Maysonet (Brewers) recently made the switch to the coaching ranks after hanging up his spikes. Milwaukee inked the slick-fielding shortstop to a coaching contract and assigned him to the Brevard Manatees (A). 

NOTEWORTHY...
Hit Streaks: Three Statesmen are riding hit streaks of at least three games, including Trent Giambrone (4), Ethan Gill (4) and Ben Pickard (3).

Multiple RBI Games: Senior third baseman Ethan Gill paces the Statesmen with two multi-RBI games.   

Delta State has belted seven home runs through the first four games of the season. The Statesmen didn't hit their seventh home run in 2015 until game 12 versus Union.

Senior center-fielder Brandon Cummins collected a season-high four hits at Arkansas-Monticello (2.9). The Drew, Miss., native is batting .400 (6-for-15) with four runs scored.

Ben Pickard belted his eighth career home run at Arkansas-Monticello (2.9). The Biloxi, Miss., is a four-year letterman, who has played in 110 games with 94 starts. He is a career .289 hitter with 21 doubles, eight home runs and 79 RBIs.

Ethan Gill is proving to be Mr. Clutch, batting .667 (4-for-6) with runners in scoring position, including five two-out RBIs.  

Mike Kinnison picked up his 400th win on Ferriss Field this past Sunday, Feb. 7 in a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over Harding. In his 19-plus seasons at the helm of the Statesmen, Kinnison is 400-77 (.839) on Ferriss Field at Harvey Stadium.  

The Statesmen hold the distinction of being the most successful baseball program in Gulf South Conference history. DSU owns an all-time record of 1,886-923-11 and a 543-199-1 mark in league play.

Delta State owns 12 Gulf South Conference titles, including five under head coach Mike Kinnison.

The Statesmen have made 29 NCAA postseason appearances, claiming 11 regional championships and the 2004 NCAA Division II National Championship.

Former Statesman head coach Dave "Boo" Ferriss, a member of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame, was a standout pitcher for Mississippi State and the Red Sox. His injury-shortened professional career included the 1945 American League Rookie of the Year Award, three 20-win seasons, and a career record of 65-30. He still holds a share of the MLB record for consecutive victories with 13.

The Statesmen boast more professional players, drafted and free agents, than any other program in the Gulf South Conference.  Currently, five Statesmen are on active major or minor league rosters.