CLINTON, Miss. --- After 20 years, the Mississippi College baseball team will re-kindle their rivalry with Delta State University this weekend at Frierson Field. The three-game series will begin with a doubleheader on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

SERIES RECORD
The Choctaws (11-25, 3-20 GSC) and the Statesmen (15-12, 10-7 GSC) have met 88 times since 1972 with DSU holding a 73-15 edge in the series. The schools have not played since 1996. MC is currently in transition to Division II and playing a full GSC schedule this season.

NOTES ON THE CHOCTAWS
Brian Owens is in his 9th season as the head coach at Mississippi College. The former Mississippi State pitcher won his 200th career game on February 19th against Union Univiersity, needing 16 innings to get the milestone victory, 3-2.

Owens earned his first career victory on February 10, 2007 with a 26-5 win over Tougaloo College. He led the 2010 Choctaws to the Division III West Region final, finishing just one game shy of the College World Series. That team went 39-11, opening the season at 17-1.

The Choctaws played a mid-week contest against William Carey. MC would grab a 2-1 lead after a squeeze bunt by junior Logan Ferrell and an RBI groundout by freshman Kyle Smith. The Cruaders answered with a three-run home run in the 5th inning and went on to win, 5-3.

Junior Kyle Cumlander tied a season-high with 6.0 innings pitched on Wednesday, striking out five and walking just one. Ferrell led the MC offense with two RBI, while junior Garrett Odom had a team-high two hits.

The Choctaws have seen their power numbers go up this season, hitting 15 home runs after combining for just eight over the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Junior Caleb Upton (.333) leads the team with five, while Odom (.292) has four.

Junior Hunter Hall and Upton are tied for the team-lead with 27 RBI, while junior Colton Caver leads the squad with 12 doubles, and senior Akiko Thomposon has a team-high three triples.

Sophomore Hunter Bolin (.337) leads the team with nine stolen bases and has driven in 20 runs in 2015 after just nine RBI all of his freshman season.

Senior Brooks Fortenberry (2-4, 5.04 ERA) continues to climb the MC pitching record books, ranking 4th in career strikeouts (182) and 8th in innings pitched (206.2). He is on pace to become just the third pitcher in school history to strike out 200 batters and throw 200 innings.

Junior Taylor Olsen (2-4, 6.75 ERA) had his longest outing of the season last time out against West Florida. The Pascagoula went 8.0 innings on the hill and had the Choctaws with the lead going into the 9th.

Senior Andy Olmsted (0-2, 2.70 ERA) has been lights out on the mound lately, no allowing a single earned run in any of his last four outings, a span on 9.0 innings. The Brandon native has given up more than one earned run in just one of 13 appearances on the year.

Senior Grady Turman (1-2, 3.66 ERA) has also been impressive out of the pen, walking just four batters in 19.2 innings pitched. He has not allowed an earned run in three appearances and has had shutout outings six times.

RECORD WATCH    
Most Career Strikeouts
1.    Tim Watkins (1983-85) - 224
2.    Lee Gardner (1995-97) - 205
3.    Sam Graham (2002-05) - 196
4.    Brooks Fortenberry (2012-15) - 182
5.    Scott Herrington (1993-96) - 166
6.    Jeff Walker (1993-96) - 164
7.    Wayman Grantham (1989-92) - 160

Most Career Innings Pitched
1.    Tim Watkins (1983-85) - 273.1
2.    Wayman Grantham (1989-92) - 272.0
3.    Scott Herrington (1993-96) - 260.1
4.    Jason White (1993-95) - 232.1
5.    Sam Graham (2002-05) - 230.2
6.    Lee Gardner (1995-97) - 214.1
7.    Tony Richard (1987-89) - 210.0
8.    Brooks Fortenberry (2012-15) - 206.2

NOTES ON THE STATESMEN
The Statesmen are led by 19th-year head coach Mike Kinnison, who picked up his 800th career win on Wednesday against Christian Brothers. The winningest coach in school history led DSU to the 2004 national championship and is a member of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

After opening the season with just two wins in their first 10 games, DSU has caught fire, going 13-4. They have won each of their last four GSC series, including taking 2-of-3 at Lee last weekend. The Statesmen have scored in double-figures in 6-of-8 games, including putting up 32 at Mississippi Valley State on April 1st.

Brandon Cummins (.405) leads the team in average, hits (45) and runs scored (34). Ethan Gill (.378) leads the team with six home runs, 11 doubles and 37 RBI. The Statesmen are hitting .320 as a team, which ranks 3rd in the GSC.

Drew Milligan (1-1, 4.44 ERA) gave up 11 hits and eight earned runs against Lee, but against West Georgia, the lefty allowed just five hits and one earned run over 8.1 innings. Nick Goza (2-4, 2.40 ERA) leads the team with five saves.