Delta State knew the road to Montgomery, after playing in nine Division II Baseball Championship finals without winning the title.

But now, the road to the pinnacle of Division II baseball runs through the Statesmen, after Delta State made 10 its lucky number by beating Grand Valley State in the championship game May 29 at Paterson Field in Montgomery, Alabama.

The Statesman battled through a tough bracket, winning two of three games against top-ranked and defending champion Central Missouri State, then they pounced early on Grand Valley State -- which advanced through its bracket undefeated -- and rolled to a 12-8 title-game victory over the Lakers.

Bert Pickard, the tournament's most outstanding player, led off the third inning with a solo home run to put the Statesmen up, 4-0, against Grand Valley State, then he put the rallying Lakers back in the hole when his sixth-inning double drove home two more runs and extended the lead to 8-4.

Ninth-inning home runs by Will Waldkirch and Eric Patten put the game out of reach for good, finally bringing a crown to a program that had finished third four times and second twice in its previous nine appearances -- including a runner-up finish in the very first Division II championship in 1968.

Ten truly was a meaningful number for Delta State. In their tournament opener, the Statesmen rallied to push Central Missouri State beyond regulation, then took the lead in the top of the 10th on a throwing error and held on for the win after the Mules put two runners on base with no outs in the bottom of the inning.

After a 14-5 victory over Columbus State, the Statesmen again faced the Mules, who staved off elimination with a rally of their own in a 12-9 win. But Delta State bounced back the following night with another rally against Central Missouri State, again riding its lucky number to a 10-9 victory to advance to the championship game.

Meanwhile, Grand Valley State survived a 12-inning opener against Cal State Chico, winning 2-1, then rolled past Bryant and Rollins to reach the championship game for the first time.

However, the Lakers couldn't solve the Statesmen in the single-elimination championship round and trailed the entire game, although Grand Valley State cut Delta State's lead to two on two occasions and then pulled within a run in the seventh inning on a three-run homer by Matt Wright.

Delta State, which finished 54-11, placed three players on the all-tournament team, including Pickard. Catcher Craig Newton homered three times in the tournament, and relief pitcher Scott Ellison collected two victories to go with his save in the championship game.

Also named to the team were outfielder Brandon McFarland and pitcher Matt Rafeld of Grand Valley State; third-baseman Shawn Callahan, outfielder Stephen Downey and designated hitter Josh Eftink of Central Missouri State; second-baseman B. J. Gagnon of Bryant; shortstop Juan Dieguez of Rollins; and outfielder Larry Pittmon of Columbus State.

Game No. 1

Eduardo Chile, David Nathanson (6), Nick Manson (7), Gene Howard (8), Mario Lombardo (8) and Luis Dieguez; Steve Sloan, Matt Gaynor (9) and Nick Tucarella. W -- Sloan. L -- Chile. T -- 3:02. A -- 428.

Game No. 2

Brian Kroll, Nick Burger (10) and James McCabe, Trevor Weedon; Matt Rafeld, Joe Finnerty (9) and Elijah Beckwith. W -- Finnerty. L -- Burger. T -- 3:47. A -- 1,016.

Game No. 3

Donnie Langdon, Kyle Sadlowski (5), Matt Keller (8) and Clay Kuklick; Zach Watson, Hurston Pittman (5), Brian Baker (9) and Trent Bianco. HR -- Ryan Loper (Kutztown), Greg Rada (Kutztown), Stephen Worrall (Columbus St.). W -- Pittman. L -- Sadlowski. S -- Baker. T -- 2:48. A -- 753.

Game No. 4

Josh Barton, Tyler Brewer (3), Scott Ellison (8) and Craig Newton; Steve Sharpe, Mike Phelps (5), Nick Webber (8) and Tommy Bryant. W -- Ellison. L -- Webber. T -- 3:27. A -- 1,504.

Game No. 5

Rollins 020 305 000 -- 10 20 1

Cal St. Chico 000 100 110 -- 3 8 1

Steve Edsall, Derek Rice (8), David Pringle (9) and Luis Dieguez; Drew Carpenter, Sal Camarena (4), Robert Anaya (5), Bryant (6) and James McCabe, Trever Weedon. HR -- Luis Dieguez (Rollins), Jay Hyland (Cal St. Chico). W -- Edsall. L -- Carpenter. T -- 3:12. A -- 563.

Game No. 6

Phil Mixter, Sean McLeod (7) and Elijah Beckwith; Matt Gaynor, Chris Bowser (8), David Rappoli (8) and Nick Tucarella. W -- Mixter. L -- Gaynor. S -- McLeod. T -- 2:26. A -- 643.

Game No. 7

Danny Powers, Justin Clayton (8) and Tommy Bryant, Brent Lacy; Mike McCardell, Rob McCuen (7), Matt Keller (8) and Clay Kuklick. HR -- Joe Strada (Central Mo. St.), Clay Kuklick (Kutztown). W -- Powers. L -- McCardell. T -- 2:33. A -- 614.

Game No. 8

Judson Bradley, Matt Raettig (5), Travis New (6) and Trent Bianco, Chris Lindlief; Brad Lightsey, Tim Jones (8) and Craig Newton. HR -- Garrett Groce (Columbus St.), Mark Broome (Delta St.), Craig Newton (Delta St.). W -- Lightsey. L -- Bradley. T -- 2:40. A -- 1,556.

Game No. 9

Nick Bonelli, Steve Sloan (4), David Rappoli (6) and Nick Tucarella; Nick Denning and Brent Lacy. HR -- B. J. Gagnon (Bryant), Eric Errante (Central Mo. St.), Stephen Downey (Central Mo. St.), Josh Eftink (Central Mo. St.), Tommy Bryant (Central Mo. St.). W -- Denning. L -- Bonelli. T -- 2:18. A -- 440.

Game No. 10

Nathan Miller, Hurston Pittman (4), Brian Baker (6) and Sean Sasser, Trent Bianco; Gator Brooks, Derek Rice (3), Eduardo Chile (6), Gene Howard (8), Nick Manson (9) and Matt Gerber, Luis Dieguez. HR -- Kurt McKee (Columbus St.), Larry Pittmon 3 (Columbus St.), Billy Howard (Columbus St.), Stephen Worrell (Columbus St.), Ron Baptiste (Rollins). W -- Manson. L -- Baker. T -- 3:40. A -- 1,351.

Game No. 11

Steve McReynolds, Mike Phelps (4), Adam Dunavant (5), Nick Webber (7) and Tommy Bryant; John Polles, Matt McAlpin (6), Tyler Brewer (7), Chris Reed (9) and Craig Newton. HR -- Francisco Leandro (Central Mo. St.), Stephen Downey 2 (Central Mo. St.), Josh Eftink (Central Mo. St.), Craig Newton 2 (Delta St.). W -- Dunavant. L -- Brewer. S -- Webber. T -- 3:06. A -- 803.

Game No. 12

Matt Rafeld, Joe Finnerty (9) and Elijah Beckwith; David Nathanson, Nick Manson (5), Mario Lombardo (8), Gene Howard (9), David Pringle (9) and Luis Dieguez. W -- Rafeld. L -- Nathanson. T -- 2:50. A -- 1,103.

Game No. 13

Josh Barton, Brad Lightsey (2), Scott Ellison (7) and Craig Newton; Steve Sharpe, Justin Clayton (4), Danny Powers (6) and Tommy Bryant. W -- Ellison. L -- Powers. T -- 3:17. A -- 1,348.

Championship game

E -- Broome; Allen, Lyster. DP -- Delta St. 2. LOB -- Delta St. 9; Grand Valley St. 8. 2B -- Thigpen, Pickard; Mertes, McFarland, Wright. HR -- Patten, Pickard, Waldkirch; Hudnall, Wright. SB -- Smith. CS -- Newton. SH -- Patten. SF -- Pickard.

W -- McAlpin. L -- Mixter. S -- Ellison. PB -- Newton. HBP -- by McAlpin (Beckwith); by Micoff (Pickard); by McLeod (Reed); by McLeod (Broome); by McAlpin (Hudnall); by Finnerty (Smith). Umpires -- HP: Mike Baker ;1B: Asa Howard; 2B: Barry Chambers; 3B:Randy Bachman. T -- 3:07. A -- 2,428.