UNA Series Notes | Live Stats/Video | Statesmen Sports Network 

CLEVELAND, Miss. -- Delta State University (17-9, 10-5 GSC) travels to Florence, Ala., for a three-game GSC baseball series against the University of North Alabama (15-10, 8-7 GSC) beginning with a doubleheader on Friday and a single game on Saturday at 1 p.m. each day. 

The Statesmen and Lions have met 85 times on the diamond with the Statesmen holding 46-39 edge in the series. The series marks the first series between the schools since Feb. 23, 2014 after last year's series at Ferriss Field was rained out. 

Delta State won 2-of-3 at Mike D. Lane Field in Florence, winning game one, 7-0 (2.22.14), before falling, 3-1 (3.22.14), in game two. DSU closed the series with a 10-1 win (2.23.14) in game three. The Statesmen are 7-3 in the last 10 meetings versus the Lions entering the weekend series.

North Alabama is hitting .314 as a team with 40 doubles, five triples and 19 home runs. Kevin Hall leads the Lions with a .427 average, four home runs, and 11 steals (11 attempts) and is tied for the team lead with six doubles. Kyle Bubbach has 28 RBIs followed by Hall with 23 and Taylor Hayes with 20. 

Riley Sanderson is 4-2 in seven starts with a 2.72 ERA and 51 strikeouts. Blake Talley has the lone save and is 2-1 in 11 relief appearances. 

The Statesmen enter the weekend on a five-game winning streak and a four-game GSC streak. DSU went 4-0 last week with wins over Southern Arkansas, 5-4, and Alabama Huntsville, 7-1, 9-2 and 11-4.  The Statesmen three-game sweep of Alabama Huntsville move them into a tie for second in the GSC standings with a 10-5 mark. 

North Alabama lost two out of three to GSC leader West Alabama, 6-8, 6-3 and 8-4 last weekend and lost 6-5 to Alabama A&M on Wednesday.  The Lions are fifth in the league standings with a 8-7 conference record.

FAST STARTS 
The Statesmen have outscored their opponents 33-8 in the first inning. DSU is 10-3 when scoring in the first inning and 14-4 when scoring first.  The Statesmen have outscored opponents 44-23 in the first two innings. 

THE CLOSE ONES 
Delta State is 6-3 in games decided by two runs or less. The Statesmen are 5-3 in one-run games and 1-1 in games decided by two runs or less. 

THE LONG BALL
The Statesmen are fourth in the GSC and 25th in the NCAA with 27 home runs. DSU hit a season-high seven home runs in game one against Lee University (2.27.16).  Eight are lead off home runs, six have come with two outs and nine have happened in the sixth inning or later.  Trent Giambrone (7), Ben Pickard (6) and Colton Welch (5) lead the Statesmen.  Four of Giambrone's seven home runs have lead off an inning.

EXTRA, EXTRA
The Statesmen rank third in the GSC with 91 extra base hits behind Lee University (117) and West Alabama (95).  Valdosta State (84) is fourth followed by Alabama Huntsville (81), West Georgia (80), Shorter (65), North Alabama (64), West Florida (53), Union (45) and Christian Brothers (35). 

DOUBLE THE FUN
The Statesmen are second in the GSC with 56 doubles behind Lee University's 72. Will Robertson ranks second in the GSC with 12 doubles (16th/NCAA) followed by Trent Giambrone with 11 (4th), Ethan Gill with 10 (6th) and Ben Pickard with seven (16th).   

Moving Up
After hitting .714 last week, Erick Santiago now leads the Statesmen with a .423 average. The Cayey, Puerto Rico, native went 10-for-14 with seven runs scored, three RBIs, one home run and a stolen base in four games.  The senior has scored 18 runs, three doubles, a homerun, 10 RBIs, four walks and only four strikeouts in 84 plate appearances. Santiago's two-run home run in game three against UAH was his first career round tripper and gave the Statesmen a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning. 

TWO OUT ATTACK 
The Statesmen are hitting .304 (79-of-260) with two outs. Will Robertson is hitting .444 (12-of-27) followed by Trent Giambrone with a .409 (9-of-22) average.  Delta State scored 11 runs in the last four games with two outs. The Statesmen scored three runs with two outs against Southern Arkansas, including the tying and go ahead runs. Eighth of 11 runs in game three against UAH were produced with two outs.

GO THREE
Center fielder Brandon Cummins recorded his fourth triple this season and ninth career triple against Alabama Huntsville (3.20).  Cummins leads the GSC and ranks 14th nationally in triples. The Drew, Miss., native is tied for fifth all-time at DSU with Barry Lyons (1979-82) and Brett Donahoo (2004-2005).  

Cummins is hitting .384 with 11 RBIs, eight extra base hits 14 walks and has been hit by a pitch six times in 119 plate appearances. The senior is hitting .491 with 10 RBIs, four triples, two doubles a home run and 10 RBIs in from the leadoff spot. 

PLUNKED!
The Statesmen have been hit by a pitch 47 times this season, ranking second in the GSC and fifth nationally.  Coker leads the NCAA with 57 while West Georgia leads the GSC with 50. 

MISSION COMPLETE
The Statesmen pitching staff has nine complete games out of its top three starters this season. Junior Tre Hobbs leads the GSC and ranks second nationally with five complete games while junior  Dalton Moats and senior Justin Vincent are tied for third in the GSC with two.  The Statesmen have complete games out of its starters in six of its last seven GSC games. Hobbs has worked five straight complete games and is 4-1 during the stretch.

NEW MAN IN THE BULLPEN
Senior Jake Brumfield's move to the bullpen has seemed to work in his first two relief appearances.  In his first two relief appearances, Brumfield has struck out five, walked one and not allowed a run or hit in 2.2 innings.  In his first appearance, the Natchez, Miss., native retired all six batters that included four strikeouts to preserve a 5-4 win over Southern Arkansas (3.16).  

Brumfield entered game three against Alabama Huntsville (3.20) with one out and the bases loaded, ending the game with a strikeout and a fly out.

NOTEWORTHY...

• Hit Streaks: Jacob Swiney and Will Robertson are currently riding a six-game hitting streaks entering the weekend. Swiney is hitting .330 with five doubles, two triples and two home runs while Robertson is batting .418 with 12 doubles and 26 RBIs.
• Multiple RBI Games: Will Robertson and Ben Pickard lead the team with nine multi-RBI games, followed by Trent Giambrone with eight and Jacob Swiney with seven. 
• Striking Out The Opposition: LHP Dalton Moats is fourth in the GSC with 49 strikeouts.
• Multi-Hit Games: 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. Trent Giambrone is second with 13 multi-hit games while Brandon Cummins has 12 and Jacob Swiney has 10.
• RISP Production: Ethan Gill (.438/14-of-32) and Trent Giambrone (.400/10-of-25) are batting .400 or better with runners in scoring position followed by  Will Robertson (.382/13-of-34) and Ben Pickard (.359/14-for-39).
• Erick Santiago and Will Robertson are proving to be two of the toughest batters to strikeout in the GSC through 26 games, Santiago has four strikeouts in 84 plate appearances (19.5) while Robertson has struck out 11 times in 116 plate appearances (16.3). Santiago and Robertson rank third and fourth in the GSC among toughest hitters to strikeout.
• Trent Giambrone has reached base safely in 18 consecutive games for the Statesmen. The senior from Metairie, La., is batting .418 with seven home runs and 26 RBIs.  
• Dakota Glore is 10-for-15 (.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 1,900-931-11 and a 552-202-1 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.