GAME NOTES; Delta State at Shorter University (3.2-3.19)
CLEVLELAND, Miss. -- No. 10/1 Delta State University (13-1, 6-0 GSC) baseball team travels to Shorter University (9-7, 2-4 GSC) for a three-game Gulf South Conference series beginning with a doubleheader on Sat., March 2 at 11 am CT in Rome, Ga.  The series concludes with a single game on Sunday at 12 pm (CT).
 
BARLOW NABS PAIR OF WEEKLY HONORS: Sophomore second baseman Jake Barlow was named the Gulf South Conference and NCBWA South Region Player of the Week on Tues. Feb. 26 by the league office. Barlow hit .545 (6-for-11) with a double a triple, a home run and three RBIs while slugging 1.091 and with a .615 on base percentage in the series sweep of Union University. The Jonesville, La, native hit for the cycle, going 4-for-4 with two RBIs in DSU's 7-0 win over Union University in game one of the series. Barlow is the third Statesmen to earn GSC Weekly Baseball Honors following Hunter Riggins (Week 1) and David Herrington (Week 3).

BARLOW's CYCLE:  Jake Barlow went 4-for-4 with a single, a double, triple and a home run in game one of the Union series to become the first Statesmen to hit for the cycle since Kellen Bozeman on April 17, 2011 (Arkansas Tech W, 15-11).

STATESMEN ARMS:  The Statesmen pitching staff leads the GSC in ERA (1.29), fewest runs allowed (24), opponent batting average (.162), and saves (6) while ranking 2nd in fewest walks (46). Hunter Riggins leads the GSC in ERA (.033), strikeouts (35/5th NCAA)wins (4/2nd NCAA), fewest runs allowed (1) and fewest earned runs allowed (1) and is 2nd in opponent batting average (.129) and 4th in innings pitched (27.2). Dalton Minton ranks 3rd in ERA (1.20) , T4th in the GSC in opponent batting average (.132) and Tommy Childree leads the GSC in saves (4/4th NCAA). Melvin Frazier is T4th in opponent batting average (.132) , T7th in strikeouts (30) and earned runs allowed (3) and 2nd in wins (3). Seth Hougesen is 2nd ERA (0.78) and wins (3) and 6th in opponent batting average (.156).

STATESMEN REWIND: The Statesmen split a pair of midweek games with Arkansas Tech, winning 9-2 and falling 6-4. Jake Barlow hit a grand slam to highlight a seven-run first inning to lead the Statesmen to a 9-2 win over Arkansas Tech (9-7, 5-1 GSC) Tuesday at Harvey Stadium-Ferriss Field.  Barlow finished the day with four RBIs including his second grand slam this season while Matt Majeur had three and Hayden White two hits for the Statesmen. Seth Hougesen scattered two hits and two strikeouts over five scoreless innings pitched.  A rally from a 6-1 deficit came up short for the Statesmen in a 6-4 loss to Arkansas Tech on Wednesday. The Statesmen trailed 6-1 before before scoring three runs in the eighth to cut the ATU lead to 6-4.  DSU had the tying runs in scoring position in the eighth before a ground out ended the rally.  Brett Young had two hits and an RBI for DSU.

GSC NUMBERS:  David Herrington's 23 hits are tied for 1st while ranking 6th in batting average (.418) and on base percentage (.554) and hits (22). Jake Barlow's is 1st in the GSC in triples (4/4th NCAA) and slugging percentage (.766) are 4th in batting average (.426).  The Statesmen rank 2nd in batting average (.293),  fewest strikeouts (72) and fielding percentage (.968).  DSU is 1st in triples (5) and ranks 3rd in slugging percentage (.399), on base percentage (.393) and hits (133).

QUEST FOR 1000: Statesmen skipper Mike Kinnison is in his 23rd season at the helm and needs 48 wins to reach 1000 wins. The Benton, Miss., native has an unbelievable career record of 952-300-2 (.756), averaging 42.4 wins per season as head coach. His all-time career record, including high school, is an astounding 1,242-383-2 (.768).

STATESMEN HISTORY FACT: Delta State's 13-0 matched the 1996 club under then Head Coach Bill Marchant for the best start in school history and for the first time under skipper Mike Kinnison. The Green-and-White started the 1996 season 13-0 and finished 53-8 overall, winning the GSC Tournament and NCAA South Central Regional and a trip to the NCAA Division II World Series in Montgomery, Ala.  Delta State went 2-2 in the CWS falling to eventual National Champion Kennesaw State.
 

NCBWA RANKINGS The Statesmen received eight first place votes to move to the top of the NCBWA South Region Rankings and to No. 1 in this week's NCBWA Top 25 Poll.  Tampa is second while Nova Southeastern, Mississippi College and St. Leo round out the top five in the region poll. Barry and West Florida are tied for sixth followed by Florida Southern, Rollins and Eckerd. 

OUT OF THE PEN The Statesmen bullpen has been just as solid as the Statesmen starters so far in 2019. DSU relievers have a 1.88 ERA with 40 strikeouts against 16 walks while allowing 14 runs, nine earned, on 26 hits in 30.0 innings. Opponents are batting .176 against DSU relievers.  Tommy Childree (RHP) leads the GSC with 4 saves while Christian Day and Dalton Minton each have a save.  The Statesmen bullpen has a 1.00 ERA with 11 strikeotus, three walks whiel alllowing three runs, one earned on five hits in 9.0 innings through the first two GSC series.