DECATUR, Ala.-The Delta State University Lady Statesmen softball team responded from a tough 4-1 defeat in game one of the Gulf South Conference Crossover Friday with a 5-3 upset over No. 4 ranked Valdosta State at Wilson Morgan Park.

West Florida (17-14, 6-9) jumped ahead in the bottom of the first with a three run home run to left field by clean-up hitter Crystal Thompson against DSU starting pitcher Brittany Gonzales.

Delta State (13-23, 5-10) plated its first run of the contest in the top of the third with an RBI single to right field off the bat of Emily Todd.

The Argos finished the scoring at 4-1, as they struck back in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI double by Kaley Kania that scored Karri Bisbee.

DSU only recorded one more hit the rest of the contest, as UWF starter Ashleigh McLean settled in after allowing five hits through three innings.

McLean (11-8) picked up the win going all seven innings, allowing six hits with a season high seven strikeouts.

Gonzales (4-14) went all six innings in the loss and allowed four runs on six hits with three strikeouts and three walks.

Taylor Hughes (2-4) was the only DSU player with multiple hits. Bisbee finished 3-for-3 for UWF.

Game two found the Lady Statesmen matched with No. 4 Valdosta State who entered the contest riding a 12 game winning streak.

The teams combined for only four hits through the first four innings, riding the starting pitching of Victoria Combs (DSU) and Krystle Robinson (VSU).

DSU broke through in the top of the fifth plating three runs in a three hit inning. The Lady Statesmen scored the first run of the contest when a Hughes grounder was misplayed at third base by Samantha Posey, allowing  Meagan Church on the play.

Todd kept her hot bat going, driving in a pair of runs when her sharply hit single to second base ricocheted off the glove of April Hutchens.

The Lady Blazers (22-5, 9-4) struck back in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI double by Posey that scored Melessa Jackon from first.

Holly Satterfield replaced Robinson in the circle in the top of the sixth. With two outs, following a Lauren Lewis walk and single by Church, Crista Richard doubled to right center, driving in what proved to be the winning runs of the game.

The Lady Statesmen threatened again in the seventh, placing runners on second and third with one out, before Satterfield induced a pair of groundouts to end the inning.

VSU put a scare into the Lady Statesmen in the bottom half of the inning, with a two run double by Marti Littlefield that scored Posey and Morgan Johnson.

Combs was then relieved by Gonzales, and forced pop ups by the four and five hitters. With two outs and Littlefield on second base, Gonzales dropped a routine pop up by Sarah Vaughn in front of the pitchers circle.

Gonzales then forced a pop out to left field by Colette Rollins to end the game. The win was the first over VSU since the 2005 GSC Crossover, which DSU won 6-5.

Combs (8-8) was stellar in the circle, allowing three runs on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

Robinson (4-2) took the loss.

Richard and Maggie Jackson each finished with two hits each.

The Lady Statesmen return to action on Saturday, as they will take on Lambuth at 12 p.m. and will finish up the days action with a 2 p.m. contest versus North Alabama.

Both games will be carried on GoStatesmen.com