Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLEVELAND – The Delta State University Lady Statesmen softball team scored six runs in the bottom of the third inning in game two and held on for a 9-6 win over Southern Arkansas University, Tuesday at University Field.
 
SAU (12-22) staring pitcher Hanna Gill retired the first fifteen DSU (12-13) hitters of the game en route to a 1-0 win in game one.
 
The Lady Statesmen did not record a hit until the bottom of the sixth inning. Gill forced two straight lineouts to shortstop with a runner on second to end the game.
 
Chelsea Knox gave the Lady Muleriders the only run of the contest in the top of the seventh with a solo home run that bounced off the top of the left field wall.
 
Gill (9-13) struck out two hitters in the win. Ashleigh Allgood (6-7) took the hard luck loss, allowing one run on six hits with seven strikeouts.
 
SAU jumped on top of DSU 1-0 in the top of the first in game two as Knox homered again, taking DSU starter Brittany Gonzales deep to right center field.
 
Marisa Sanders scored the first run of the two games for DSU in the bottom of the first, taking advantage of a throwing error by SAU second baseman Savannah Quintana.
 
Knox struck again in the top of the second, this time with an RBI double that scored Quintana.
 
DSU took the lead for good in the bottom of the second with an RBI double by Brook Cline, and a sacrifice fly by Sanders.
 
With two outs in the top of the third, a nearly one-hour rain delay halted play, as lightening was detected in the area. The first batter after the delay, Brittany Wood for Southern Arkansas, hit a solo home run to center that tied the contest at 3-3.
 
The Lady Statesmen answered with a six spot in the bottom of the third inning that included a pair of SAU errors. DSU recorded five hits in the inning, including RBI hits by Sanders, Allgood and Taylor Hughes.
 
SAU answered with a pair of runs in the sixth and one in the seventh, but left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh. DSU relief pitcher Sara Davis recorded the first two outs in the top of the seventh, before giving way to Allgood.
 
Allgood forced a deep fly out by Kylee Crosek with the bases loaded to end the game.
 
Gonzales (5-4) allowed five runs on 10 hits in the win. The junior also recorded four strikeouts and two walks. Davis allowed one run on two hits in relief. Allgood picked up the one out save.
 
Macie Tillery (2-4) allowed nine runs, one earned with four walks in the loss. Candice Collier allowed four hits in three innings of relief.
 
Knox and Wood each finished 3-for-4, while Sanders, Kendall Sizemore, Amber Adcock and Raina Stiffler each finished 2-for-4.
 
The Lady Statesmen will travel to Monticello, Ark., on Thursday, March 22 for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
 
The action will be carried live on GoStatesmen.com