Blake Mathews enters his third season on the Delta State University Baseball staff, taking over the Statesmen pitchers and serving as recruiting coordinator since his arrival in August 2018.
Despite the 2020 season getting canceled 22 games into the season, Mathews has done a remarkable job with the Statesmen pitching staff. The Statesmen lost two starters and 50 percent of their bullpen from the 2019 GSC championship team. Despite the losses, the Statesmen ranked second in opponent batting average against (2.19), third in strikeouts (191) and fourth in team ERA (4.13) in the GSC. Additionally, Tanner Propst joined Seth Hougesen as the second pro free agent signee during Mathews tenure.
Starter Hunter Riggins ranked second in the league in wins (4) and ninth in ERA (2.79) and opponent batting average against (.204). Newcomers Jackson Rutledge (LHP), Cooper (RHP), and Tanner Propst (LHP) were also prominent in the GSC statistical rankings. Rutledge was second in the GSC in fewest hits allowed (17), sixth in opponent batting average against (.195) while Brune was third in fewest hits allowed (20), sixth in fewest runs allows (13) and tied for first in losses with a 5-1 record. Propst ranked third with three saves to go along with two wins in the closer role.
The Statesmen pitchers flourished under Mathews tutelage in 2019, leading the Gulf South Conference and NCAA with a 2.65 ERA which ranked as the school's fourth-lowest team ERA in a single season. Statesmen hurlers led the GSC with eight shutouts, 7.7 hits allowed per nine innings, 13 saves and a .223 opponent batting average against. The 179 runs and 137 earned runs allowed topped the GSC for fewest allowed in those respective categories.
Riggins earned All-GSC First-Team, ABCA Third-Team All-American, D2CCA and NCBWA Honorable Mention All-American, ABCA, D2CCA, and NCBWA First-Team All-South Region, and GSC Tournament Most Outstanding Player laurels. The Hernando, Miss., native led the GSC in ERA (1.88 | 9th NCAA), wins (11), and innings pitched (110.0). Senior lefty Dalton Minton was selected All-GSC First-Team and ABCA First-Team All-South Region. Minton tied Riggins for first in the GSC in wins (11) while ranking third in innings pitched (92.2) and fourth in ERA (2.82). Closer Tommy "TJ" Childree notched a GSC-best eight saves.
Mathews came to the Delta from Davidson College where he was a member of the baseball staff since January 2018. During his tenure, Mathews served as pitching coach in addition to managing bullpens while also assisting with the outfielders, camp coordination, recruiting and daily field maintenance.
Under Mathews' guidance, the 2018 Wildcat pitching staff spent the majority of the season leading the league in earned run average, a category they also ranked in the top 20 nationally. The staff also ranked in the top three in the league and top 30 in the country in fewest walks allowed.
Hurler Evan Roberts tossed three complete games, striking out six or more in six games, including a career-high 12 at A-10 foe Rhode Island. Roberts threw his first complete game shutout at Richmond and then responded with his final complete game, also against Richmond in the opening round of the A-10 Tournament. He surrendered just one walk in the outing and landed on the All-A-10 Tournament squad.
Fellow veteran Connor Gordon no-hit ACC power Wake Forest on the way to earning A-10 Pitcher of the Week honors and was ranked in the top five in the country in ERA throughout the 2018 campaign, allowing just 16 runs in nearly 50 innings of work.
Prior to Davidson, Mathews completed a stint at Samford University, where he served as the squad's director of player development. While there, he implemented the SYDEX Bats software system, assisting with recruiting and coordinated with the Bulldogs' video department
Mathews went on to play collegiately at the University of Mobile from 2011-15. There, he pitched under the direction of head coach Mike Jacobs and turned in a solid career for the Rams.
Mathews starred as a starting pitcher at St. Paul's High School under Head Coach Shane Sullivan, where he posted a brilliant 12-1 record as a senior and participated in the East/West All-Star Game.
Blake is married to the former Saige Donner and the couple has one son, John Michael and a daughter, Hazel Olive.
