GAME NOTES: No.7 West Alabama (6-2) at Delta State (5-3)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - While it's only the third week of February, the Statesmen (5-3, 0-0 GSC) of Delta State University will open Gulf South Conference play this weekend versus the defending league champion Tigers (6-2, 0-0 GSC) of the University of West Alabama. The three-game series begins Saturday, Feb. 21 at 12 p.m. with a doubleheader and continues Sunday at 2 p.m.   

The Statesmen and Tigers have one of the longest running rivalries in the GSC, as the two schools helped form the Gulf South Conference in 1971. Delta State leads the all-time series 83-41, but the Tigers have won the last two games, including an 8-4 victory in last season's GSC Tournament Championship game.

In UWA's last trip to Cleveland, the Statesmen took the series 2-1, claiming victories in game one (5-2) and game three (5-2) on Feb. 16-16, 2014.

DELTA STATE CRUSHES WONDER BOYS 15-3
Seniors Ben Pickard and Will Robertson had three hits and three RBIs apiece to help the Delta State University baseball team claim a 15-3 win over Arkansas Tech at Tech Field on Tuesday.

Delta State's 15 runs and 16 hits were season highs. DSU scored 11 runs in the season opener against Harding (2.6.16) and had 15 hits in game one against Palm Beach Atlantic (2.12.16).

Redshirt freshman Juwan Burney recorded his first collegiate hit and RBI on his triple in the ninth. Dakota Glore's eighth inning single up the middle marked his first hit as a Statesman.

The Statesmen improved to 4-1 against the Great American Conference in 2016.

Jake Brumfield (1-0) earned his first win of the season and his fifth at DSU, pitching 4.0 innings while allowing two hits with three walks and three strikeouts. The Natchez, Miss., native is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 9.0 innings pitched.  

HOBBS OFF TO FAST START
Junior left-handed pitcher Tre Hobbs is off to a fast start for the Statesmen, posting a 2-0 record and a 0.73 ERA. In two starts, the Greenville, Miss., native has thrown 12.1 innings, allowing one earned run with two walks and seven strikeouts.

In Hobbs' first victory, a 2-1 win over Harding, the crafty lefty worked 5.2 innings allowing one run on five hits with six strikeouts. He followed up that performance with 6.2 innings in a 2-1 win over Palm Beach Atlantic last Saturday.

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's made an immediate impact, batting .455 with five doubles, two home runs and 13 RBIs. He currently leads the team in batting average, hits, doubles, home runs (T), and RBIs.

In DSU's 15-3 win at Arkansas Tech, the Falkner, Miss., native went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. It was his third three hit performance this season and his second three RBI outing at the plate.

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).

PICKARD PRODUCING AT RECORD PACE
Ben Pickard, a four-year letterman and senior catcher, is off to a career pace this year, batting .406 (13-of-32) at the plate. In eight games, the Biloxi, Miss., native has collected 13 hits in 32 at-bats with six runs scored, a pair of doubles, one home run and six RBIs.

Pickard has played in 114 games, making 98 starts, for the Statesmen, batting .297 with 22 doubles, eight home runs and 82 RBIs.

MOATS LOOKING FOR CONSISTENCY
Junior left-handed pitcher Dalton Moats has thrown well in his first two starts for Delta State, but the Kansas City, Mo., native is looking for a little more consistency this week versus the Tigers.

The Northeastern Oklahoma CC transfer is 1-1 with 4.72 ERA, having thrown 13.1 innings and allowing 10 runs on 15 hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts.

He worked 6.0 innings in his first start as a Statesman, an 11-5 victory over Harding, after giving up five runs on seven hits with a walk and four strikeouts. In his second outing, he suffered the loss, a 5-4 decision versus Palm Beach Atlantic, but recorded a career-high six strikeouts in 7.1 innings pitched.   

GILL RIDING EIGHT GAME STREAK
Senior Ethan Gill is riding an eight-game reached base streak to open the season. The Ponotoc, Miss., native is batting .393 (11-of-28) with four doubles, two home runs and 11 RBIs.

He 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. Against UA-Monticello, Gill was 1-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored, and he was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs in DSU's 15-3 victory at Arkansas Tech on Tuesday.

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

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).   

STATESMAN BASEBALL NOTABLES
Hit Streaks: A pair of Statesmen are riding hit streaks of at least four games, including Colton Welch (4) and Will Robertson (4).

Delta State has belted seven home runs through the first eight 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 .370 (10-for-27) with 10 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 114 games with 98 starts. He is a career .297 hitter with 22 doubles, eight home runs and 82 RBIs.

Erick Santiago is hitting .625 when leading off an inning. The Cayey, Puerto Rico, native is 5-for-8 on the year jump-starting an inning for the Statesmen.

Delta State is 3-1 in one-run games this season.

Ethan Gill is proving to be Mr. Clutch, batting .583 (7-for-12) with runners in scoring position, including six 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 1,888-925-11 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.