GAME NOTES: Delta State at Montevallo (2.15-16.19)

CLEVELAND, Miss. --  No. 10 Delta State University (6-0, 0-0 GSC) opens its Gulf South Conference slate with a three-game series against the University of Montevallo (2-6, 0-0 GSC) starting with a single game on Fri., Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. and concluding with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Sat., Feb. 16 at Kermit A. Johnson Field in Montevallo, Ala. 
 

GSC OPENERS: The Green-and-White are 25-15 all-time in GSC openers and are opening GSC play on the road for the second straight year. The Statesmen swept a three-game set at Valdosta State last year, opening the series with a 13-11 win in 11 innings. The Statesmen are 13-9 in conference openers under Head Coach Mike Kinnison.

STATESMEN ARMS:  The Statesmen pitching staff has gotten off to a strong start in 2019, leading the GSC in ERA (1.12), fewest runs allowed (9), and opponent batting average (.128).  The Green-and-White are second in saves (5), and third in fewest walks (23) and strikeouts (71).

LAST TIME vs. UM: The Statesmen and Falcons did not play a regular season series but did meet in an elimination game at NCAA Division II South Regional in Lakeland, Fla., in 2018. The Statesmen claimed a 12-3 win behind the arm of Seth Hougesen, who struck out seven Falcons and allowed one run on three hits in six innings.  Brian Lane went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs and Clay Casey was 3-for-5 with a home, a double and an RBI. Zack Shannon belted his school record 31st home run and drove in four runs. The last regular season series came on Feb. 8-9, 2013 in Cleveland, Miss. UM moved to the Peach Belt Conference in 2014 before returning to the GSC in 2018. The last time DSU and UM played a series at Johnson Field in Montevallo dates to Feb. 10-11, 2012.  The Statesmen have won the last 12 meetings in the series and seven straight at Johnson Field.

SCOUTING THE FALCONS: Kahari Anderson is batting .379 average and has two home runs, four doubles and three RBIs followed by Jason Cryar and Tyler Krabbe are hitting .333 with three home runs. Krabbe leads UM with 10 RBIs and  Cryar has 7 RBIs. On the mound, Brady Schnarr (RHP) and Chrit Rudkin (RHP) have been starters through the first two weekend series for the Falcons. Schnarr (1-1) has allowed four runs, earned, on six hits with three strikeouts and a 1.13 ERA over 8.0 innings pitched. Rudkin (0-1) has a 1.41 ERA with a team-high 12 strikeouts while allowing five runs, four earned on six hits in 9.2 innings.  UM's third starter is to be determined.

STATESMEN REWIND: The No. 10 Delta State University baseball team (6-0) scored two early runs and rode a solid pitching effort from the bullpen to earn a 2-1 win over the University Arkansas Monticello (1-3) on Wed., Feb. 13 at Weevils Field. Darek Sargent and David Herrington delivered RBI singles in the first and second innings to give the Statesmen a 2-0 lead before UAM scored is lone run of the game in the third. Relief pitchers Cole Morgan, Tyler Walton and Tommy Childree combined to scatter three hits with three strikeouts over 6.2 scoreless innings to hold UAM the rest of the way.

GSC NUMBERS: The Green-and-White enter the Montevallo series with an all-time 616-222-1 conference record that includes 14 GSC Tournament championships and 22 GSC regular-season titles. Delta State has won 11 GSC West Division and seven GSC Tournament crowns under current Head Coach Mike Kinnison.

QUEST FOR 1000: Statesmen skipper Mike Kinnison is in his 23rd season at the helm and needs 55 wins to reach 1000 wins. The Benton, Miss., native has an unbelievable career record of 945-299-2 (.756), averaging 42.4 wins per season as head coach. His all-time career record, including high school, is an astounding 1,274-391-2 (.768).

SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS: Sunday's single game at Ouachita Baptist was rained out and will be made up as part of a doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Tues., March 12.
 

NEXT STATESMEN UP: The Statesmen lost eighth players, four All-GSC performers, in the lineup due to graduation following the 2018 season.  David Herrington (3B), Darek Sargent (SS), Jake Barlow (2B), Matt Majeur (LF), Brett Young (CF) and Weber Herbison (RF) have the Statesmen off to a 6-0 start. Herrington leads the team with a .455 average and seven runs scored followed by Sargent's .429average and 11 RBIs. Barlow has a .409 average with two doubles and two triples (T1st GSC) and Herbison has a .308 average with a double, five runs score and a .500 on base percentage.  Young, transferred to DSU from Nebraska Kearney, has a .333 average with seven runs, six walks and three steals from the leadoff spot in the lineup.  
 

RIGGINS SETTING THE TONE: After 18 relief appearances as true a freshman in 2018, Hunter Riggins has been setting the tone on the bump for the Statesmen. In his first two career starts, the Hernando, Miss., native has allowed no runs on four hits with 15 strikeouts and one walk over 11.2 innings of work. Riggins and teammate Melvin Frazier are tied for third in the GSC with 15 strikeouts while his two wins,  0.00 ERA and .103 opponent batting average lead the GSC. 
 

DIAMOND DEBUTS: In the series against East Central, eight newcomers and three redshirts saw their first action in a Statesmen uniform. Newcomers Brett Young (CF), C.J. Estave (DH), Michael Allen (OF), Patrick Hodges (DH), Hayden White (SS), Tommy Childree (P) Christian Day (P) and Payton Griffin (P) along with redshirts Layne Tedder (P), Luke Ketchum (OF) and Landon Roberts (2B) all saw their first action in a Statesmen uniform.
 

OUT OF THE PEN: The Statesmen bullpen has been just as solid as the starters. DSU relievers have a 1.12 ERA with 29 strikeouts against 11 walks while allowing five runs, three earned, on nine hits in 25.1 innings. Opponents are batting a cool .110 against DSU relievers.  Tommy Childree (RHP) is tied for first the GSC with three of DSU's five saves while Christian Day and Dalton Minton each have a save.
 

COACH K, BASEBALL STYLE: In 22 seasons at the helm of the Statesmen, Mike Kinnison has posted 14 40-plus win seasons, including five 50 win campaigns, and has averaged 42.6 wins per season. Kinnison has guided the Statesmen to one national, seven GSC and five south/south central region titles during his tenure.