BASEBALL WEEK TWO NOTES

CLEVELAND, Miss. -- No. 1 Delta State University (2-1) travels to Arkadelphia, Ark., for three games starting with a day-night doubleheader against Ouachita Baptist (2-2) at Rab Rodgers Field at 12 p.m. and Henderson State (1-2) at Clyde Berry Field at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Statesmen will then take on Nebraska-Kearney University (1-1) at Henderson State's Clyde Berry Field on Saturday at 12 p.m.
 

DATES	OPPONENTS	VIDEO	STATS	TEAM INFO
Fri., Feb. 9	at Ouachita Baptist | 12 pm	--	Live Stats	Roster | Schedule | Stats
Fri., Feb. 9	at Henderson State | 7 p.m.	Video	Live Stats	Roster | Schedule | Stats
Sat., Feb. 10	vs. Nebraska-Kearney | 12 p.m.	--	Live Stats	Roster | Schedule | Stats

Last Week: The Statesmen went 2-1 against three Sunshine State Conference teams in the state of Florida. After dropping a 7-0 decision to Lynn University on Friday, the Statesmen rebounded to score 31 runs on 36 hits, beating No. 12 Nova Southeastern 21-10 on Saturday in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and wrapping up with a 10-5 win over Palm Beach Atlantic on Sunday in Jupiter, Fla.

76th Season: Delta State begins its 76th season of baseball with a 1,972-953-11 all-time record entering 2018. The Statesmen are ranked seventh in NCAA Division II in wins with a 302-122-2 record since 2000.

900: Statesmen skipper Mike Kinnison is in his 22nd season at the helm of the Statesmen and is one win shy of 900 career victories. In his 21  seasons, Kinnison has guided the Statesmen to the 2004 NCAA Division II National title, six College World Series appearances (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2012 and 2017), 13 NCAA South/South Central Regional appearances (1999-2005, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017), 11 GSC Western Division titles (1997-2005, 2007-2008), six NCAA South/South Central Regional championships and seven GSC titles.

Early GSC Numbers:  The Green-and-White rank first or second in five offensive categories after week one.  Delta State leads the GSC in batting average (.347), hits (42) and home runs (4) and rank second in runs scored (31) and RBIs (29).  Jason Popovich leads the GSC in hits (8) and at bats (16) and ranks second in runs scored (5) and is tied for sixth in batting average (.500). 

Frazier Honored: Junior pitcher Melvin Frazier was named the Gulf South Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday, Feb. 6, 2017.  Frazier made the most of his Statesmen debut, tossing 4.2 innings of scoreless relief against No. 12/10 Nova Southeastern. The Baker, La., native struck out six and walked four while allowing no runs on one hit to earn win.

Statesmen Debuts: Melvin Frazier (LHP), Payton Lane (1B/DH), Ricky Silvestri (1B/DH), Tyler Walton (RHP), Hadyen Davey (LHP), Seth Hougesen (LHP) and Bradley Sanford (C) saw their first action in a Statesmen uniform to open the season. 

Lane Named Farm Bureau Athlete of the Week:  Brian Lane was honored as the Delta State Athletics/Farm Bureau Athlete of the Week of the week ending Feb. 4, 2018. Lane, a Spanish Fort, Ala., native^, hit .400 in the opening three games of the season. The designated hitter went 0-for-3 in the season opener, a loss against Lynn, but bounced back in a big way in the final two games of the weekend. Lane was 2-for-6 and drove in four runs in a 21-10 victory over No. 12 Nova Southeastern, and then added a 4-for-6 performance, including driving in half of DSU's runs, in a 10-5 win over Palm Beach Atlantic on Sunday. Lane added a double and three runs scored in the three games. 

Former GSC Foes:  The Statesmen will play 11 games combined against Ouachita Baptist, Henderson State, Arkansas Tech, Harding, Southern Arkansas, and Arkansas Monticello, who left the Gulf South Conference in 2010 to form the current Great American Conference.  

Grand Slamming: Two of the four home runs hit through the first three games have been with bases full of Statesmen.  The Statesmen used a Justin Nussbaum grand slam during a 10-run ninth to stretch an 11-10 lead into a 21-10 win over No. 12 Nova Southeastern. Brian Lane's grand   slam  in the fourth inning stretched the Statesmen lead to 8-1 en route to the 10-5 over Palm Beach Atlantic. Shannon's three-run home run in the fourth inning against Palm Beach Atlantic was his first of the season and 20th of his career. 
 

TRAVELING SHOES: The Statesmen will travel  2,750.2 miles over the first seven games and will ledger 7,105 round trip miles overall in 2018. The Green-and-White will log 2,120.2 miles on the Florida road swing on Feb. 2-4 at Lynn University in Ft. Boca Raton, Fla., Nova Southeastern  in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. and Palm Beach Atlantic in Jupiter, Fla. Delta State adds 410 miles for a trip to Arkadelphia, Ark., for three games against Ouachita Baptist, Henderson State and Nebraska-Kearney on Feb. 9-10. The final route of the seven-games adds 220 miles round trip to Arkansas-Monticello on Feb. 13. 

STARTING THINGS OFF: Senior Jason Popovich recorded double digit hits in all three games from the leadoff spot this weekend and has notched 31 career double digit hit games. Popovich went 2-for-4 against Lynn University on Friday and was 3-for-7 with a double and two runs scored against No. 12 Nova Southeastern on Saturday.  Popovich closed the weekend with a 3-for-5 outing with three runs scored and a walk.  Popovich leads the GSC in hits (8) and at bats (16) and ranks second in runs scored (5) and sixth in batting average (.500).

NEWSON TAKES OVER IN LEFT: Senior Jamell Newson started all three games in left field after serving all of 2017 as a reserve outfielder. The Senatobia, Miss., native,  hit .300 (3-for-10) with three runs scored and one RBI. Newson also made a running catch at the wall in the left center field gap to end a Palm Beach Atlantic threat in the sixth.

DAVEY SOLID IN FIRST START: Junior Hayden Davey allowed two runs on two hits with five strikeouts against four walks in his debut against Lynn University.  Davey gave up two runs in the first inning before tossing four shutout innings before turning the ball over the Statesmen bull pen. 

WALTON DEBUTS OUT OF THE PEN: Senior Memphis University transfer Tyler Walton allowed a run on two hits in 2.1 innings to earn the win in relief against Palm Beach Atlantic University on Sunday.  The Germantown, Tenn., native, has made two relief appearances through the first three games, tossing 3.2 innings with a walk and three strikeouts.  

BLACK AND BLUE: The Statesmen have picked up right where they left off in 2018 after leading the GSC and ranking second nationally in hit by pitch (112) in 2017 . The Statesmen were hit eight times in three games last weekend and are tied with West Georgia for the GSC lead.  Emil Ellis and Clay Casey were plunked two times while Josh Russell, Jamell Newson, Brian Lane and Justin Nussbaum were hit once.

FOR STARTERS: The Statesmen return all nine players in the batting order that includes all eight position starters and four returning All-GSC and All-South Region selections. All-Americans Zack Shannon (Sr.,1B/P), and Clay Casey (Sr./OF) headline the list along with Emil Ellis (Sr., 2B), and Brian Lane (Sr., C/DH).  Also returning to the lineup is lead off hitter Jason Popovich (Sr., CF), Nick Morgan (Sr., 3B), Juwan Burney (Jr., OF), and Josh Russell (Jr., C). 

REVAMPED PITCHING STAFF: Zack Shannon, who tossed 7.1 innings with a save and seven strikeouts, should see an increased role out of the bullpen. The Statesmen have 16 newcomers that include 11 new arms. NJCAA Pitcher of the Year Seth Hougesen (Jr., LHP, Dyersburg State CC), Hayden Davey (Jr., LHP, Dodge City CC) and Dalton Minton (Jr., LHP, Northwest Miss. CC) highlight the newcomers.