Baseball Sweeps Delta State to End Regular Season
The Choctaws defeated conference powerhouse Delta State in all 3 games of their final home series.
The Choctaws closed out their season with a final home series against conference leader — and rival — Delta State. The Choctaws swept the Statesmen for the first time in the program's history, winning every game in dominant fashion.
The Choctaws came into this series having already clinched a spot in the playoffs, with a 18-12 conference record. The Statesmen had a record of 23-7 in conference play.
The Choctaws defeated Delta State in all 3 contests by scores of 7-4, 10-2, and 23-1. The final score was one of the largest margins of victory in Choctaw history, and the largest margin of victory ever vs. Delta State. The Choctaws improved their record to 21-12, which was enough to secure a fourth place finish and seed. The top four teams in the conference are separated by just two wins, making it anyone’s tournament to win.
The opening game of the series was senior night for the Choctaws, adding to the anticipation of the series. “Since it’s senior night, it’s a pretty big series.” Dylan Cope said before the series. “Being able to give the credit to the older guys on the squad, and with it being a rivalry that these guys have looked forward to it, it means that much more to us.”
Cope, a junior transfer to the Choctaw team, has pitched just over 26 innings this season. He has an ERA of 2.73.
“We want [to win against] Delta [State] to prove to ourselves, and others, what we’re really about.” Cope said. “This series is taking us into the tournament, and gives us a chance to test ourselves against the best in the conference.”
Another addition to the Choctaws team and bullpen this season was Caleb Peterson. Peterson has made 12 appearances and 12 starts as a pitcher, he has pitched the second most innings for the Choctaws this season.
“I’ve learned how to handle adversity as a pitcher this year,” Peterson said. “With this being my first season as a full time starter, I’ve faced many situations on the field I hadn’t experienced before. Now, being able to face anything on the mound is something that I’ll take with me going into next year.”
The Choctaws incredible sweep against Delta State was one of the biggest achievements in program history, especially when considering the pre-season rankings.
“Honestly, being ranked so low in the pre-season is my favorite part of the whole thing.” Peterson said. “Obviously, no one knew what we had in Clinton, and it’s shown. It feels great to prove them all wrong.”
As far as his goals for the remainder of the season, Peterson made it very clear. “We are going to make a run in Oxford.” Peterson said. “We didn’t just make it in to make it. We are going to win the whole thing.”
A person that this rivalry does mean a lot to is senior pitcher, Jack Bell. Bell has pitched 13 innings for the Choctaws this year, and has shown senior leadership all through the season.
“This rivalry means a lot to me,” Bell said. “I love this team, and I believe in this team. We’ve got everything we need to be successful.”
“I’ve learned that all the little things and attention to detail matter,” Bell said. “I’ve learned that it’s not about the individual, but about the bigger picture.”
As the team approaches the playoffs, the possibility of a conference championship is looming around the corner. The Choctaws have found success that outsiders had not expected and will look to do the same as they approach tournament weekend.
“The sky's the limit for this team.” Bell said. “We can go as far as we want if we keep this team mentality and stay locked in.”
The 2025 GSC Baseball Championship will be hosted in Oxford, Ala. starting on May 2.
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