GAME NOTES: Delta State vs. No. 20/9 Alabama Huntsville (3.19-20.2016) | Live Stats | Live Audio/Video
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - Delta State (14-9, 7-5 GSC) welcomes No. 9 the University of Alabama Huntsville (17-8, 9-3) to Harvey Stadium-Ferriss Field for a three-game Gulf South Conference series on Saturday, March 19 and Sunday March 20 at 2 p.m. each day.  

The Statesmen and Chargers have met 55 times on the diamond with DSU holding 34-20-1 edge in the storied series. Delta State took 2-of-3 in the regular season series last year, falling in game one (4-3) before winning games two and three (3-2 | 9-5) to take the series. 

In the GSC Tournament at Livingston, Ala., Delta State eliminated UAH 11-7. Colton Welch, Landon Thibodeaux, Jacob Swiney and each had three hits in an 18-hit attack. Trent Giambrone, Welch, and Thibodeaux drove in two runs apiece. 

Alabama Huntsville has made a return to the national picture under current Head Coach Hunter Royer. UAH captured the 2014 GSC title at UAB's Young Memorial Field in Birmingham, Alabama, and a spent the majority of 2015 and so far all of 2016 in the national rankings. 

Matt Spruill leads UAH with a .420 average and has 11 extra base hits (4 doubles, 4 triples, 3 home runs). AJ Walden is hitting .393 with a team-best 26 RBIs, seven home runs and seven doubles. 

Wilson Adams has been solid on the mound with a 4-1 mark in six starts, a 1.79 ERA and a team-high 42 strikeouts. 

Delta State is tied for fifth in the GSC standings  after West Georgia won 2-of-3 last weekend in Carrollton, Ga.  The Wolves won the first two games, 8-2 and 4-3 (8 inn.) in extra innings. The Statesmen salvaged the series with a 6-3 win in game three on Saturday behind a dominate performance from lefty Dalton Moats.  Moats struck out nine and allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits in the complete game win.

The Chargers dropped a midweek affair at Trevecca Nazarene on Wednesday and have lost three of their last four games coming into the weekend.  UAH is in second place in the GSC standings, losing 2-of-3 to the University of West Florida last weekend. The Charters won game one, 4-2, win only to see UWF rebound to win the next two games 4-3 and 13-6, respectively.

MOATS COMPLETING THE TASK
Delta State's Dalton Moats (Jr.; Kansas City, Mo.) tossed is second straight complete game in game three at West Georiga (March 13, 2016.  Moats allowed two runs on six hits through the first three innings but allowed 1 unearned run on no hits over the final six frames in a 6-3 win. Moats struck out nine Wolves in his second straight complete game.  

The junior lefty was named the Gulf South Conference Baseball Pitcher of the Week a week earlier, recording a career-high 10 strikeouts in a complete-game shutout versus Union. He allowed just one walk on three hits over seven innings. The Kansas City, Mo., has lowered his ERA from 7.08 to a 4.46 and has 19 strikeouts over his last 16 innings pitched.

WE'RE OFFENSIVE 
The Statesmen enter the weekend leading the GSC and ranking 13th nationally in batting (.344), while ranking second in extra-base hits (78) and third in home runs (25), runs scored (166) and RBIs (158). Delta State is averaging 7.2 runs per game through its first 23 contests. 

Left fielder Will Robertson is hitting.432 average, with 12 doubles, two home runs and 25 RBIs to lead the Statesmen. He currently leads the team in batting average, hits, doubles, and RBIs (25). Second Baseman Trent Giambrone is batting .430 and his six home runs are tied for the team lead with Ben Pickard.

SIZZLING  GIAMBRONE
Second baseman Trent Giambrone has been swinging a hot bat in the last five games. The Metairie, La., native is 10-for-17 for a .588 batting average with six runs scored, a double, a triple, and a home run.  During the stretch, Giambrone has not struck out and has been walked four times, been hit by a pitch twice. The senior also has a .696 on base percentage and a .941 slugging percentage.
  
THE LONG BALL
Delta State ranks third in the GSC with 25 home runs including a season-high seven in game one versus Lee University (2.27.16).  Ben Pickard and Trent Giambrone lead DSU with six home runs each, ranking sixth in the GSC. Colton Welch tied for fifth in the league with five home runs.

LEADING THINGS OFF
Center fielder Brandon Cummins is hitting .373 with two doubles, three triples, a home run, 25 runs scored and nine RBIs in 20 games from the lead off spot.  The Drew, Miss. native has walked 13 times and been hit by a pitch six times in 88 plate appearances.

GOT TO HAVE HEART
The heart of Statesmen order 3-4-5 is hitting .362 with 92 hits, 25 doubles, one triple and eight home runs.  In 254 at bats the Statesmen have drawn 31 walks and struck out 32 times.  

In 21 games, Will Robertson is hitting .418 with 10 doubles and 41 RBIs in the three spot. Ethan Gill has a .324 average through 22 games with 23 RBIs, nine doubles, and two home runs in the four hole. Ben Pickard boasts a .370 average with five doubles six home runs and 20 RBIs hitting in 22 games in the five spot.

BRUMFIELD CLOSES OUT SAU
Senior Jake Brumfield has been rock solid in his last two outings. The Natchez, Miss., native is 2-0 with 0.00 ERA, allowing two hits, only one for extra bases, with four strikeouts over four innings in one start and one relief appearance. Brumfield has lowered his era from 7.20 to 5.68 over his two outings. 

Brumfield picked up the win in a scheduled two-innings start against William Carey (3.9.16), allowing no runs on two hits with two strikeouts.  On Wednesday, Brumfield struck out four and did not allow a run or hit, picking up the win in relief over the final two innings against Southern Arkansas. 

HOBBS REMAINS SOLID
Junior left-handed pitcher Tre Hobbs suffered his first loss of the season despite recording his fourth straight complete game against West Georgia. Hobbs threw 7.1 innings of work before UWG rallied from 3-2 deficit to take a 4-3 win in extra innings in game two. 

Hobbs has been outstanding this season for the Statesmen, posting a 5-1 record with a 2.21 ERA. In six starts, the Greenville, Miss., native has thrown 40.2 innings, allowing 13 earned runs with 11 walks and 32 strikeouts. His five wins are tied for first in the GSC and tied for 19th in the NCAA. The junior also leads the GSC and is tied for second in the NCAA with four complete games. 

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) have reported to Minor League training, while Brent Leach (Dodgers), who recently signed a contract with L.A., is awaiting assignment. 
 

NOTEWORTHY

• Hit Streaks: Senior third baseman Ethan Gill is currently riding a four-game hitting streak. The Drew, Miss., native is batting .333 with 23 RBIs, nine doubles and two home runs.
• Multiple RBI Games: Will Robertson leads the Statesmen with nine multi-RBI games this season. Ben Pickard is second with seven, followed by Trent Giambrone and Jacob Swiney with six each. Third baseman Ethan Gill has five.  
• Striking Out The Opposition: Junior LHP Dalton Moats is fifth in the GSC with 39 strikeouts while senior LHP Justin Vincent are tied for 11th with 34 strikeouts. Moats has struckout 19 over 16 innings in two consecutive complete games. LHP Tre Hobbs has 32 punch outs and ranks 14th in the GSC.
• Multi-Hit Games: Senior left fielder Will Robertson leads the Statesmen with 16 multi-hit games this season. The Falkner, Miss., native has 11 two-hit performances and five three-hit outings to his credit. Trent Giambrone is second with 12 multi-hit games while Brandon Cummins has 10 and Ben Pickard and Jacob Swiney have eight each.
• RISP Production: Ethan Gill (.438/14-of-32), Trent Giambrone (.400/10-of-25) are batting over .400 or better with runners in scoring position.  Will Robertson (.382/13-of-34) and Ben Pickard (.359/14-for-39) followed close behind by Gill and Giambrone.
• Erick Santiago is proving to be one of the toughest batters to strikeout in the GSC. In 21 games and 67 plate appearances, the Cayey, Puerto Rico, native has struck out four times, which is tied for second in the GSC.
• Trent Giambrone has reached base safely in 15 consecutive games for the Statesmen. The senior from Metairie, La., is batting .430 with six home runs and 23 RBIs.  
• Dakota Glore is 8-for-12 (.667) this season when attempting to advance runners on base. He is also 3-for-4 (.750) in pinch-hit opportunities.  
• The Statesmen hold the distinction of being the most successful baseball program in Gulf South Conference history. DSU owns an all-time record of 1,894-928-11 and a 549-202-1 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.