MAGNOLIA, Ark. – After a 2-1 series win over Northwestern Oklahoma State this past weekend in Kennedale, Texas, the Southern Arkansas Baseball team is back on the road for a pivotal non-conference affair on Wednesday against former Gulf South Conference foe Delta State. First-pitch from Ferriss Field in Cleveland, Mississippi, is scheduled for 5 p.m.
 
The Muleriders (14-8) are currently in fourth-place in the Great American Conference standings, while the Statesmen (13-9) sit in a tie for fifth-place in the Gulf South Conference standings. Wednesday's non-league tilt has critical regional implications as out-of-conference success will play a role in the upcoming respective regional rankings for both clubs.
 
Since Southern Arkansas joined the GAC in the fall of 2011, the Muleriders and Statesmen have continued to square off on the diamond meeting a combined ten times as non-conference opponents with SAU holding a 6-4 advantage; 3-1 on the road. The ten game series has seen an average of 12.5 runs per game.
 
Offensively, Southern Arkansas is led by four players with a .300 batting average or better led by Justin Buchanan's .371 (26-of-70). Buchanan's .629 slugging percentage and .451 on-base percentage leads the team as well as in hits with 26. Jake Tisevich (.348), Trevor Rucker (.311) and Josey Langston (.302) round out the .300-plus averages as the trio has combined for 60 hits and 26 RBI. The Muleriders boast the third-best batting average in the GAC at .292.
 
Billy Germaine paces the Muleriders in runs scored (21), homeruns (6), doubles (7), RBI (18) and total bases (47).
 
On the mound, Southern Arkansas has been led by sophomore Kenneth Tabor and Hunter Mayo as both players have received GAC Pitcher of the Week honors this season and have helped lead SAU to a league-best team ERA of 3.46. Tabor (5-1) owns the team's best ERA at 2.54 and also has team-highs in innings pitched (39.0), complete games (9), strikeouts (43) and opponent batting average with at least 20 innings pitched (.218). Mayo (4-2), the league's reigning pitcher of the week, is just behind Tabor in ERA (2.92), innings pitched (37.0), and strikeouts (33).
 
The bullpen has been solid for the Muleriders as seven players have recorded at least a pair of appearances, while six players have logged five or more innings in relief.
 
For a complete statistical breakdown of Southern Arkansas' 2016 campaign, follow this link: http://muleriderathletics.com/custompages/Current%20Statistics/baseball/teamcume.htm.
 
For the Statesmen, they are paced offensively by a pair of players swinging over .400. Will Robertson (.429) and Trent Giambrone (.420) have combined for 70 hits, 40 runs scored, 20 doubles, eight homeruns, and 44 RBI. Five additional players hit .300 or better as Delta State owns the second-best batting average in the GSC at a mark of .342.
 
The Statesmen have a team ERA of 4.45, led by Tre Hobbs' mark of 2.21. Hobbs is 5-1 on the season in 40.2 innings pitched with 32 strikeouts. Six Delta State pitchers have logged nine or more innings in 2016.
 
For a complete statistical breakdown of Delta State's 2016 campaign, follow this link: http://www.gostatesmen.com/custompages/Stats/Baseball/teamcume.htm.
 
Fans interested in following all of tonight's action can do so here via live stats (http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=delta) and live audio (http://portal.stretchinternet.com/dsu/).