Delta State Baseball Set for Three-Game Series at No. 17 Lee University

The Delta State University Statesmen baseball team will travel to Cleveland, Tennessee, for its opening Gulf South Conference series of the 2026 season. The team, with a 2-2 overall record, will face undefeated Lee University (6-0), ranked No. 17 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association top 25.

The series kicks off Friday at 3 p.m., with a doubleheader scheduled for Saturday starting at 1 p.m. The matchup marks the first conference games for both teams this season. The Statesmen have a historical record of 10-4 at home against Lee but are 6-9 on the road in Cleveland.

Leading the Statesmen at the plate is freshman outfielder Austin Estes, who boasts a .462 batting average with six hits and seven runs scored. Estes also has seven total bases and one stolen base. Senior Jacob Hill leads the team with 10 total bases and eight RBIs, including one home run and one double. On the mound, Adrian Byrd and Blake King are coming off strong performances last weekend. Byrd pitched five innings, allowing two earned runs with eight strikeouts. King pitched 5.2 innings, giving up one earned run and striking out three.

Lee University’s Flames enter the series undefeated, with notable contributors Isaiah French and Cody Turner each recording two home runs and over 10 total bases. French has seven RBIs, while Turner has six. Luke Collier has started strong at the plate, batting .300 with six hits, including a triple and a home run, and driving in eight runs. Evan Bloomer has thrown 11 innings over two starts, surrendering three earned runs on eight hits with nine strikeouts. He maintains a 2.45 ERA so far this season.

The series promises to be a competitive start to conference play, with both teams looking to improve their records early in the season.

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