2003 Gulf South Conference 
Baseball Championship
May 3-6, 2003

GSC Tournament Schedule

Saturday      
Game 1 (2W) Southern Arkansas 5 (2E) Alabama-Huntsville 8  
Game 2 (1W) Delta State 12 (3E) Valdosta State 8  
Game 3 (1E) West Florida 9 (3W) Central Arkansas 2  
       
Sunday      
Game 4 Central Arkansas 12 Valdosta State    3 (VSU eliminated)
Game 5 Delta State 10 Southern Arkansas 2 (SAU eliminated)
Game 6 West Florida 9 Alabama-Huntsville 0  

 

Monday      
Game 7 Delta State 2 West Florida 0  
Game 8 Alabama-Huntsville 3 Central Arkansas 2 (UCA eliminated)
       
Tuesday      
Game 9 West Florida 3 Alabama-Huntsville 4 (UWF eliminated)
Game 10 Delta State 9 Alabama-Huntsville 2 (UAH eliminated)

May 6, 2003
DSU WINS 2003 GSC BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Millington, TN—Delta State State University (50-8) defeated the University of Alabama in Huntsville (31-23), 9-2, claiming the 2003 Gulf South Conference Baseball Championship at USA Stadium in Millington, TN.

West Division Champion DSU claimed its ninth overall GSC Title, first since 2000.   The victory was also the Statesmen's third over UAH this year after sweeping a double-header during the regular season.  The triumph also marked the third straight year in which the Statesmen have posted 50 wins in a season.

Delta State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth, thanks to Eric Patten's sacrifice fly in the top of the third and Jud Thigpen's score on a throwing error in the fourth.  UAH answered back, tying the game, 2-2, in the bottom of the fourth, via Bert Watkins' RBI double and Justin Barnes' sac fly.  DSU's bats finally took charge, pounding out five runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth.  Patten stroked a two-run double in the fifth, while Will Waldkirch blasted a two-run bomb in the eighth.  Starter Brad Lightsey earned the complete-game victory on the mound, scattering six hits and fanning four.

Delta State's Jud Thigpen collected Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors, going 8-for-16 at the plate with two doubles, a triple, a homerun and five RBI.  Teammates Keith Fitzgerald, Andy Dillard and pitchers Josh Barton and Dusty Hughes were named to the All-Tournament Team, while runner-up Alabama-Huntsville placed Wes Long, Justin Barnes and Adam Bass.  West Florida's Todd Androsko and Jeremy Noegel and Central Arkansas' Wes Sanford round out the All-Tournament selections.

Their GSC crown also puts the Statesmen in the drivers seat to host the four-team NCAA South Central Regional Tournament (May 15-17) for the second straight season .  The winner of the regional receives an automatic berth in the 2003 NCAA World Series.


May 5, 2003
UAH, DSU, UWF move into final day

By Michael Anderson
Millington, TN—Dominating pitching performances highlighted the third day of the 2003 Gulf South Conference Baseball Championship at USA Stadium in Millington, TN.

Delta State, West Florida and Alabama-Huntsville each battled strong wind conditions to advanced to the final day of the Tournament.

East Division No. 1 seed UWF collected its third win of the year versus UAH, 9-0, in Game Six which was postponed last night after three scoreless innings.  The Argonauts received a dominating performance from starting pitcher Todd Androsko and pounded out nine runs on 11 hits.  Androsko ruled the mound, going the distance, scattering six hits and striking out nine batters.  West Florida plated single runs in the the fourth, fifth and sixth innings before opening the flood gates with six in the bottom of the eighth.   Demetrious Walker led the offense, going 2-for-5 with two RBI including a solo homerun. 

UWF advanced to face UAH in a rescheduled Game Nine, Tuesday, May 6 at Noon.  Game Nine was originally scheduled for 7:00 pm Monday, May 5, but had to be moved because the NCAA rules mandate that a team cannot play three times in a day.

Next, West Division Champion Delta State topped West Florida in the winner's bracket game.  Millington native Josh Barton tossed his first shutout of the season for the Statesmen, hurling eight innings and striking out 11.  Andy Dillard drove-home the the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth while Clint Turman knocked in an insurance run on a sac fly in the next inning.  Dillard led the offense, going 2-for-3  with an RBI.

Alabama-Huntsville earned a rematch with West Florida thanks to a 3-2 triumph over No. 3 West seed Central Arkansas.  UAH eliminated UCA from the Tournament, claiming the victory in the two team's first-ever meeting.  UCA jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Zak Clark's fly ball scored Barrett Ward from third base.  The Chargers responded, taking a 2-1 advantage in the top of the sixth via Justin Barnes' two-out, two-run double.  The Bears did not go away, knotting the game, 2-2, in the bottom of the sixth on Brad Lovell's RBI single, but Alabama-Huntsville plated the game-winning run when Bert Watkin's laced an RBI single into centerfield.  Ty Meadows collected the victory, allowing six hits and fanning four in six innings of work. 

Alabama-Huntsville and West Florida open the final round of the Tournament on Tuesday, May 6 at 12:00 pm .   The UAH/UWF winner has a tough task at hand--they must beat undefeated Delta State, No. 1 in the nation, twice.   The Championship Game is slated for 3:30 p.m., but if UWF or UAH defeats DSU the first time, then the two teams will meet again on Wednesday because NCAA rules state that a team cannot play three times in one day.

May 4, 2003
UCA, DSU collect victories

By Michael Anderson
Millington, TN—Severe weather postponed the final game of Day Two of the Gulf South Conference Baseball Tournament in Millington, TN. 

East Division rivals West Florida and Alabama-Huntsville played to a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth inning of the final game of the day until mother nature took over.  Game 6 was rescheduled until Monday, May 5 at 10:00 am. 

Not all the news was bad.  Central Arkansas and Delta State each earned victories in the first two games of the day.

West Division No. 3 seed UCA topped No. 3 East seed Valdosta State, 12-3, in the opener.  The Bears snapped a three-game skid in tournament play, earning their first post-season win since 1998.  Central Arkansas sprinted to an 8-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning, behind five VSU errors.  UCA plated six runs in the fifth, headlined by Brian Post's two-RBI double.  Chris Dickins capped-off the Bears' scoring, ripping a three-run homer in the top of the ninth.  Starter Sam English collected the win on the mound, tossing a complete-game while giving up three earned runs.   Barrett Ward led the offense, going 4-for-6 with an RBI. 

Next, top West seed DSU cruised-past division rival Southern Arkansas, 10-2, behind four homeruns.  The victory was the Statesmen's third this season versus SAU.  Delta State took a 3-0 led in the top of the fourth on Keith Fitzgerald's solo shot.  Fitzgerald struck again in the seventh, giving the team a 7-0 advantage on a two-run shot.  DSU plated three more in the top of the ninth behind Victor Duke's two-RBI shot before SAU spoiled the shutout scoring a pair of runs.  Dusty Hughes captured the win on the hill, tossing eight innings and fanning six.

The 2003 GSC Baseball Tournament restarts tomorrow with UAH and UWF resuming their interrupted game at 10:00 am.  The third day schedule will resume 45 minutes after the UAH/UWF contest.


May 3, 2003
DSU, UWF victorious in opening round, UAH upsets SAU

By Michael Anderson
Millington, TN—The first day of the 2003 Gulf South Conference Tournament opened with an upset but ended with no surprises.

No. 2 East seed Alabama-Huntsville earned revenge for a loss to No. 2 West seed Southern Arkansas in last year's opening round, upsetting the No. 3 team in the South Region, 8-5.  UAH rallied from a 3-1 deficit, taking a 7-3 lead behind a six-run, fifth inning .  The Chargers hit three straight triples in the inning, highlighted by Wes Long's two-run stroke.   David Pressley capped-off the scoring for Alabama-Huntsville, blasting a two-run homerun in the bottom of the eighth.  UAH starter Adam Bass earned the victory on the mound, hurling 6 1/3 innings with five strikeouts.

No. 1 West seed Delta State avenged last year's first-day loss to No. 3 East seed Valdosta State, 12-9.  VSU put a scare into the No. 1 team in the nation, jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the top of third.  The Blazers got four runs in the second thanks to David Lewis' two-run triple and Jake Cosper's two-run homer.  DSU scored three runs in the third inning and took control from there, plating 12 unanswered runs.  The Statesmen surged ahead, thanks to a seven-run fourth, highlighted by Edwin Maysonet's two-RBI double.  Matt McAlpin earned his 11th win of the season,  going 8 1/3 innings and striking out three.

No. 1 East seed West Florida found success in its first-ever GSC Tournament, easing past No. 3 West seed Central Arkansas, 9-2.  UWF led 1-0 in the bottom of the first when Demetrious Walker scored on a wild pitch.  UCA tied the game in the top of the third, but the Argonauts pulled-ahead for good with two runs in the bottom of the inning.  Freshman starter Josh Sawyer collected his 11th win of the year, striking out five, while Walker went 3-for-5 at the plate and stole three bases.  .

Sunday’s action begins at Noon with Central Arkansas (29-23) taking on Valdosta State (37-17) in an elimination game.  West Division rivals Delta State (47-8) and Southern Arkansas (28-16) face-off in second game of the day at 3:30 pm, while East Division foes West Florida (36-20) and Alabama-Huntsville (29-21) meet in the nightcap at 7:00 pm.

April 28, 2003
#1 Delta State highlights strong Gulf South Conference baseball tournament field

 MILLINGTON, TN - The #1-ranked Delta State Statesmen baseball team looks to knock off five other GSC foes and claim their ninth Gulf South Conference Championship at USA Stadium in Millington, Tenn., May 3-6, 2003. 20th-ranked West Florida, the Eastern Division champion, is making their first conference tournament appearance. The six team field contains five teams ranked in the top thirty in the nation including #1 Delta State, # 19 Alabama-Huntsville, #20 West Florida, #22 Southern Arkansas, and #23 Valdosta State as well as Central Arkansas, who comes in unranked at 29-22. USA Stadium will be the hosting the event for the second consecutive year.

The tournament begins on Saturday, May 3 at noon with the runners-up in the East and West Divisions, as Alabama - Huntsville (28-21) meets Southern Arkansas (38-15) in the first round for the second consecutive year. West Division champ Delta State (46-8) will take on Valdosta State (37-16) at 3:30 p.m., as the Statesmen will try to avenge a first round loss to the Blazers from last season. The night game, beginning at 7:00 p.m. will feature East Division champ West Florida (35-20) against Central Arkansas (29-22).

Valdosta State is the defending tournament champion.

The tournament will continue through Tuesday, with the championship being played Tuesday afternoon at noon. The additional game will follow if necessary.