know thine enemy

Here’s the skinny. The school is from a state where football is king but where baseball nips at its heels. The school’s coach is an icon. The program owns a national championship. The lineup is stacked with standout hitters, and the pitching staff is loaded, as well. This would describe Delta State … but it also fits the Statemen’s opponent in today’s NCAA Division II College World Series clash, the opener for both in the eight-team event at Cary. N.C. St. Mary’s, from San Antonio, Texas, is the No. 1-ranked team in the country with a 48-9 record. The Rattlers are coached by Charlie Migl, who is in his 26th year and claims 900-plus wins. He also claims a national title, which came in 2001 in St. Mary’s last trip to the CWS. The team is led at the plate by Billy Richard (.369, nine homers), M.P. Cokinos (.340, eight, 53 RBIs) and Brandon Bates (.338). On the mound, the Rattlers have D-II pitcher of the year Carl O’Neal (13-0, 2.27), plus Rene Solis (13-2, 1.55), Skye Stevens (9-0) and Jonathan Perez (18 saves, 0.81 ERA). It’s a tough first-round draw for DSU, seeking a second national title to add to the one it won in 2004. But Mike Kinnison’s 2012 Statesmen seem to made of something special, having climbed off the mat to win both the Gulf South Conference Tournament and the NCAA South Regional.