Week 12 Game Notes
CLEVELAND, Miss. --  No. 5/7 Delta State University (36-7, 21-4 GSC) hosts Mississippi College  (30-12, 18-6 GSC) for a three-game Gulf South Conference series beginning with a doubleheader on Sat., at 2 p.m. and closing with a single game on Sun., at 2 p.m. at Harvey Stadium-Ferriss Field. The Statesmen have won 16 of their last 17 games and seven straight entering the weekend. 
 

DATES	OPPONENTS	VIDEO	LIVE STATS	UNA TEAM INFO
Sat., April 28	vs Mississippi College (DH) | 2 p.m.	Watch	GM 1 | GM 2	Roster | Schedule | Stats
Sun., April 29	vs Mississippi College | 2 p.m.		GM 3	@DeltaStateBSB
Matt Jones (PBP), Cody Clark (Color) | Statesmen Audio | Radio | MAJIC 107.5 FM (Cleveland)
Gulf South Conference Baseball Standings

Senior Day: Fifteen seniors and a graduating junior will play their final regular-season home game prior to Sunday's tilt against the Choctaws. The 15 seniors are Emil Ellis (2B), Jason Popovich (CF), Jamell Newson (OF), Justin Nussbaum (SS), Nick Morgan (3B), Jonathan Lindsey (P), Brian Lane (DH/C), Peyton White (P), Tyler Milligan (P), Jason Lott (P), Tyler Brown (OF), Andy Borries (P), Clay Casey (RF), Zack  Shannon (1B) and Seth Birdsong (P). Junior Juwan Burney will graduate and skip his final season to enter Naval Officer Training school. Entering the series, this class has posted an 81-20 overall record and a 46-12 GSC record, winning two GSC regular-season, a GSC tournament andan NCAA South Region championship during their time in the Delta. 

The Road Runs Through Cleveland: The road to the 2018 GSC Baseball title will run through Cleveland, Miss., for the second straight year following DSU's three-game sweep of North Alabama last weekend that clinched the school's 22nd regular season title. Montevallo (18-8), West Florida (18-8), Mississippi College (17-8) and UNA (18-9) have all clinched a berth in the tournament. Lee (14-12). West Georgia (14-13), West Alabama (12-14) and Alabama Huntsville (11-15) still have tournament berth aspirations. This weekend will determine the final tournament field and seedings for the pool play tournament on May 5-7. The championship game of the GSC Baseball Tournament is set for Tues., at 6 p.m. 

Casey Earns GSC Honor: Clay Casey was named the GSC Player of the Week on Tues., April 24. Casey helped lead the Statesmen to a 5-0 week, including a three-game sweep of No. 27 North Alabama and two wins over Arkansas Tech in the midweek. The senior went 14-for-20 with 10 runs scored, five home runs, 15 RBIs, four walks and one hit by a pitch. Casey slugged 1.450 and had a .760 on base percentage.  The Melbourne, Fla., native hit .536 with a home run, five RBIs and four runs scored along with a 1.182 slugging percentage and a .667 on base percentage in the UNA series. Casey went 4-for-4 with a home run and five RBIs in an 11-8 game three win against UNA. Casey had three-five RBI games, including going 7-for-9 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in the two games against Arkansas Tech. 

The Big Three: Opposing pitchers are treading lightly when it comes to facing Brian Lane, Zack Shannon and Clay Casey in the Statesmen lineup The Big Three have combined for a .378 batting average (189-of-500) with 36 doubles, three triples, 49 home runs, 188 RBIs and 163 runs scored while slugging .756 with a .470 on base percentage through 43 games. The trio has also combined for 378 total bases and 88 extra base hits while walking 60 times, being plunked 39 times and striking out once in every 8.06 at bats.  

Birdman Approaching Wins List: Senior righty Seth Birdsong is 8-0 this season and has 18 career wins entering the MC series. The Brownsville, Tenn., native is two wins from tying Josh Melton (1995-96) for 10th on the school's career wins list. Birdsong has started 12 games with 63 strikeouts against 27 walks while yielding 44 runs, 35 earned, on 75 hits in 64 innings pitched this season. 

Records Watch: Zack Shannon's two home runs in the UNA series moved him ahead of Dee Haynes (1999) for first on the DSU's single-season home runs list. Shannon's 46 career home runs are second all-time behind Haynes (1998-2000) 62 career bombs. Shannon's 80 RBIs are tied for fifth in a single-season with Jud Thigpen (2004) and Andy Dillard (2002) while his 168 career RBIs are eighth in school history. Shannon's 170 total bases are ranked fourth on the single-season total bases list. Clay Casey's 15 long balls are in an eight-way tie for eighth on the single-season home runs list while his 29 career bombs stand alone in sixth. Casey needs four home runs to move up to a tie for fifth with Barry Lyons (1979-82). Shannon is also showing up in some GSC single-season and career categories. He ranks eighth in total bases (170) in a single season, second in single-season slugging percentage (1.037), second in single-season home runs (27), and fifth in career home runs (46). Shannon needs nine more RBIs to move onto the GSC's single-season RBIs list for the second straight year.

THE GSC NUMBERS
Delta State leads the GSC in 14 categories and ranks in the top five in 17 categories overall. The Green-and-White lead in batting average (.340/4th NCAA), runs scored (431), scoring per game (10.0/1st NCAA), hits (526/4th NCAA), home runs (61/14th NCAA), home runs per game (1.42/11th NCAA), RBIs (393), total bases (808), slugging percentage (.522/9th NCAA), on base percentage (.437/1st NCAA), sacrifice flies (29/8th NCAA), fewest strikeouts (206), at bats (1548), and hit by pitch (83/4th NCAA). DSU is second in walks (206) and fourth doubles (85). The Statesmen also are fourth in fielding percentage (.963). In the GSC pitching stats, the Statesmen rank fifth in strikeouts (337) and tied for third in saves (9). The Statesmen's current .837 winning percentage ranks sixth in the country. 

GSC ONLY GAMES
Statesmen hitters are littered throughout the GSC when you look at league-only numbers. Zack Shannon leads the way with a .448 batting average, and Emil Ellis and Clay Casey sit fourth and fifth, respectively. Shannon and Casey are also first and second in GSC action in slugging percentage, hits, RBIs and home runs. Ellis ranks second in on base percentage (.521) and runs scored (35). The Statesmen have the top four run-scorers in the GSC as the league's top offense, led by Shannon's 42 runs. Ellis (35), Lane (29) and Casey (29) follow Shannon. Jason Popovich ranks sixth in that category with 27 runs scored.

BASH BROTHERS
Seniors Zack Shannon and Clay Casey make up the collegiate version of the Bash Brothers. Shannon leads the GSC and NCAA in home runs (27), home runs per game (.63), RBIs (80), RBIs per game (1.95), total bases (170), runs scored (62) and slugging percentage (1.037). Shannon also paces the GSC and ranks in the top 12 nationally in batting average (.439/10th NCAA), on base percentage (.545/10th NCAA), hits (72/10th NCAA) and runs per game (1.58/2nd NCAA). Casey ranks second in the GSC in RBIs (61/3rd NCAA), RBIs per game (1.42/6th NCAA), home runs per game (.35/24th NCAA. He is third in slugging percentage (.695/54th NCAA) and tied for fifth in hits (62). 

OTHER GSC NUMBERS

• Brian Lane is second in runs scored (48) and first in hit by pitch (22/2nd NCAA) in the GSC. Lane is also seventh in RBIs (47).
• Emil Ellis is second in runs scored (52/21st NCAA) and second in runs scored per game (1.27/16th NCAA). He is third in the GSC in on base percentage (.503) and tied for fourth in hits (52).
• Jason Popovich ranks fourth in runs scored (42) and fifth in hits (61). 
• Nick Morgan and Shannon are second in the GSC with five sac-flies.
• Seth Birdsong is tied for first in the GSC in wins (8/13th NCAA), fifth in innings pitch (74.0) and 12th in strikeouts (63).
• Tyler Walton is tied for third in wins (6) and Peyton White and Hunter Riggins are sixth in saves (4).

TOUGHEST TO K
Brian Lane, Jason Popovich, Josh Russell and Emil Ellis are among the GSC's leaders as toughest to strikeout. Lane is second in the GSC and 27th nationally, striking out once every 14.8 at bats while Popovich is fourth (14.2/37th NCAA), Russell is seventh (12.4/67th NCAA) and Ellis is 10th (11.5/115th NCAA).

DOUBLE-DIGIT HITS & RUNS 

• Delta State leads the GSC and country scoring averaging 10.0 runs per game. The Statesmen have notched double-figure hits and runs in two straight games and double-figure hits in 31-of-43 games. The Statesmen pounded out a season-high 25 hits in a 25-16 win over Arkansas Tech (4.17). 
• Delta State has scored double-figure runs in 23-of-43 games, most recently scoring 13 runs against Ouachita Baptist (4.24). 
• The Statesmen had 21 runs on 21 hits against Nova Southeastern (2.3), 26 runs on 21 hits at Southern Arkansas (3.27), and 25 runs on 25 hits at Arkansas Tech (4.17).
• The Statesmen have scored double-figure runs in seven of the last 10 games and double-digit hits in 12 of the last 14 games. 

MISCELLANEOUS NUMBERS

• EXTRA INNINGS: The Statesmen are 3-2 in extra innings with wins over Nebraska-Kearny (2.10), Valdosta State (2.24) and Union (4.10). DSU dropped a 6-5 decision in 10 innings to Mississippi Valley State (3.21) and a loss to Lee (4.15) in 10 innings.
• DSU is 0-2 in games decided by two runs or less and 23-3 in games decided by five-plus runs.
• The Statesmen are 31-3 when holding the lead after six innings, 9-3 when clubbing multiple home runs and 20-5 when hitting at least one home run.
• TWO OUTS: The Statesmen are hitting .336 with two outs and have 144 two-out RBIs and 12 home runs in 512 at bats with two outs. Zack Shannon sports a .456 average and 25 two-out RBIs. Josh Russell is hitting .378 with two outs with 13 two-out RBIs while Clay Casey has 32 two-out RBIs and Ellis and Popovich have 16 two-out RBIs. 
• LOAD 'EM UP: DSU is hitting .421 (40-for-95) with the bases loaded. The Statesmen have six grand slams: Justin Nussbaum (vs. Nova Southeastern), Brian Lane (vs. Palm Beach Atlantic), Clay Casey (at West Georgia/at Union), Jason Popovich (vs. Harding) and Jamell Newson (at So. Arkansas).
• RISP: The Green-and-White sport a .370 average with runners in scoring position. Emil Ellis is hitting .500 average (28-of-56) and Zack Shannon has a .444 average (28-for-63).
• OFF THE BENCH: Payton Lane is 4-for-6 with a .667 average while David Herrington has a .429 (3-for-7) average with two home runs as pinch-hitters.  

SWING AND A DRIVE!
The Green-and-White have belted 61 home runs which leads the GSC and ranks 14th in the NCAA. The Statesmen have hit 13 home runs with two outs, 13 home runs with a two-strike count and eight when behind in the count. Seven home runs have been first pitch swinging home runs. Zack Shannon leads all divisions of the NCAA and NAIA in home runs (27) and home runs per game (0.63). Clay Casey's 15 home runs are second in the GSC and 15th nationally. Shannon has hit six home runs with two outs, seven have come with two strikes and three on the first pitch. Shannon has homered in 23-of-43 games while Casey has home runs in 12-of-43 games this season.

Shannon needs three home runs to become the first collegiate player in the state of Mississippi to hit 30 home runs in a single-season. He would surpass the Mississippi State's single-season home runs mark of 29 held by Rafael Palmeiro (1984) and Bruce Castoria (1981).

MISSISSIPPI'S HOME RUN KINGS
Below is the single-season home runs list for all four-year schools in Mississippi. DSU owns six spots on the list, with former Statesmen Dee Haynes ranking fourth all-time with 26 home runs in 1999. Two current Statesmen, Zack Shannon (27 HRs this season) and Clay Casey (17 HR in 2017), also appear on the list. 

Mississippi Single-Season Home Runs List
1 Rafael Palmeiro (Miss. State, 1984)* 29
Bruce Castoria (Miss. State, 1981) 29
2 Will Clark (Miss. State, 1981) 28
3 Zack Shannon (Delta State, 2018) 27
4 Dee Haynes (Delta State, 1999)* 26
5 Will Clark (Miss. State, 1985) 25
6 Brent Rooker (Miss. State, 2017) 23
Jeff Cook (Southern Miss., 2003)* 23
Clint King (Southern Miss., 2003)* 23
Bill Selby (Southern Miss., 1992)* 23
Fred Cooley (Southern Miss., 1989)* 23
6 Ryan Firth (Southern Miss., 2004) 22
Dee Haynes (Delta State, 2000) 22
Tommy Rafo (Miss. State, 1989) 22
Tommy Sims (Southern Miss., 1985) 22
Greg Connor (Southern Miss., 1986) 22
7 James Land (William Carey, 2017)* 21
Brian Petteway (Ole Miss., 2005) 21
Eric Adkins (William Carey, 2004)* 21
Jason Huisman (Ole Miss., 1998) 21
Dee Haynes (Delta State, 1998) 21
8 B.A. Vollmuth (Southern Miss., 2010) 20
Sedgewick McCollum (Southern Miss., 1988) 20
Rafael Palmeiro (Miss. State, 1985) 20
Mark Gillaspie (Miss. State, 1981) 20
9 Zack Shannon (Delta State, 2017) 19
Matt Wallner (Southern Miss., 2017) 19
Connor Powers (Miss. State, 2009) 19
Brad Corley (Miss. State, 2004) 19
Brian Wiese (Miss. State, 1999) 19
Richard Lee (Miss. State, 1998) 19
Richard Lee (Miss. State, 1997) 19
Tommy Davis (Southern Miss., 1994) 19
Richey Hines (Miss. College, 1984)* 19
10 Stephen Head (Ole Miss., 2005) 18
Michael Rosamond (Ole Miss., 1999) 18
Mike Plumlee (Delta State, 1992) 18
Mike Moore (Delta State, 1984) 18
11 Clay Casey (Delta State, 2017) 17
Cody Overbeck (Ole Miss., 2008) 17
David Delluci (Ole Miss., 1995) 17
12 A.J. Downs (Delta State, 2000) 16
Richey Hines (Miss. College, 1985) 16
Hunter Owen (Millsaps College, 2008)* 16
Marcus Davis (Alcorn State, 2007)* 16
* Denotes school's individual single-season home run record holder