ITTA BENA – The Lady Statesmen split the season series with five-time defending Southwest Athletic Conference Champion Mississippi Valley State, defeating the Delta Devilettes 7-6. 

With one out in the top of the sixth inning, Brooke Allgood hit a home run deep to right-centerfield for what proved to be the winning run as the Devilettes scored two in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the lead to 7-6. 

Edie Oliver held on for the win, retiring the Devilettes (27-11) in order in the bottom of the seventh inning to improve to 12-7 on the season. The junior southpaw allowed six runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and one walk. 

The Lady Statesmen (19-15) got off to a quick start, scoring three runs in the top of the first with RBI-singles by Emily Hearn, Paige Silverthorn and Kristi Basso. Silverthorn added a home run down the rightfield line, and scored on Brittany Tillery's sacrifice fly to give the Lady Statesmen three of their seven runs. 

Callie Weaver added a run in the second inning when she scored on Courtney Clark's dropped pop up, rounding out the Lady Statesmen scoring. 

Angelia Jones had three RBIs for the Devilettes, lacing a two-RBI double in the bottom of the second inning and an RBI-single in the bottom of the sixth. 

Nikki Strouder (6-3) was charged with the loss, allowing five runs, four earned, on eight hits with two strikeouts and a walk in three innings. 

Lauren Derting stopped the bleeding, but couldn't keep the Lady Statesmen bats at bay enough to get the win, allowing two runs on seven hits in four innings of relief. 

Silverthorn finished 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs and two runs scored, and Brittany Eikner went 3-for-5 with a run scored. 

The Lady Statesmen get back into Gulf South Conference play Friday, April 10, when they host Henderson State in a double-header scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m.