digging the long ball

Josh Hamilton’s monster night for Texas on Tuesday — an MLB record-tying four home runs and an American League record 18 total bases — brings to mind the jaw-dropping performance of Jackson Senators star Tommy Bost. On May 16, 2004, Meridian native Bost belted two grand slams and a three-run homer in a 22-2 win over Amarillo at Smith-Wills Stadium. Bost tied the independent Central Baseball League mark for homers in a game and set a record with his 11 RBIs. It was the greatest hitting performance by a professional player in Smith-Wills’ long history. P.S. Delta State emphatically ended its three-year NCAA Tournament drought with a Gulf South Conference Tournament championship, which carries an automatic bid. The Statesmen (40-12) won three straight elimination games, two on Tuesday behind the pitching of Josh Branstetter (a four-hit shutout vs. North Alabama) and the hitting of Sam Kidd (four hits, three RBIs vs. Alabama-Huntsville). DSU, which also won the GSC regular season title, was No. 2 in the most recent NCAA Division II South Region rankings and may be in line to host a regional. The NCAA field will be announced Sunday.