fighting okra

Delta State is two wins away from another Gulf South Conference Tournament championship. Playing a third straight elimination game on Monday at Oxford, Ala., the Statesmen pounded Valdosta State 10-3 to reach the title round. They’ll have to beat West Florida twice today to claim their 16th GSC tourney title and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Argonauts beat DSU 4-3 in their tournament opener last week. In Monday’s victory, Dylan Coleman, All-GSC third baseman, hit a grand slam in an eight-run fourth inning that put DSU in charge. Coleman is batting .379 with 15 bombs, 54 RBIs and 42 runs, leading the team in each category. Wes Warnock also homered for the Statesmen, now 31-21, and Cade Whitley worked 5 2/3 strong innings in relief to get the W. DSU’s last tournament title was in 2019, Mike Kinnison’s last year as coach. Current coach Rodney Batts was a star on the 1996 team that won the title. P.S. No. 1-ranked East Central Community College and No. 13 Jones College have advanced to the NJCAA Division II Region 23 Tournament that starts May 13 at Poplarville. They’ll be joined by No. 2 Pearl River, Hinds, Meridian and third-ranked LSU-Eunice in the double-elimination event.