SOUTHAVEN, Miss. – The Lady Statesmen (27-30) of Delta State University dropped a hard-fought 5-3 decision to the No. 1 ranked Lady Blazers (45-3) of Valdosta State University in the second round of the Gulf South Conference Softball Tournament Friday at Greenbrook Park.  The loss sends DSU into an elimination game on Saturday versus the University of West Florida at 11 a.m. 

Valdosta State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning off of Natalia Morozova's RBI double down the right field line.  The senior from Moscow, Russia was thrown out at third, trying to stretch the double into a triple, by DSU's Kayla Wilson. 

The Lady Blazers made it a 2-0 game in the top of the third off Morgan Johnson's RBI double to center.  Clare Wamsley came in to score on the play, but April Hutchens was thrown out at the plate on a beautiful relay from Maggie Johnson to Amber Adcock to Taylor Hughes. 

VSU tacked on a run in the top of the fifth and chased DSU starter Brittany Gonzales from the game after Johnson delivered her second RBI double to right field in the game.  Lauren Kendall came on in relief and was quickly greeted with a perfectly placed RBI bunt sacrifice by Samantha Posey to put the Blazers up 4-0. 

Courtney Albritton put the Lady Blazers up 5-0 in the top of the sixth, as the Gulf South Conference Freshman and Player of the Year smashed an RBI double off the wall in right that allowed Wamsley to score from second.

DSU finally got to VSU's Alanna Hadley in the bottom of the sixth.  After a hit-by-pitch to Taylor Hughes and double to center by Amber Adcock, Taylor Holland came through with a two-RBI single to left-center that cut the lead to 5-2.  The Lady Statesmen kept it going with an RBI single by Kendall Sizemore to make it 5-3.  Hadley finally worked her way out of the jam with a strikeout of Kayla Wilson to end the DSU.

After Kendall retired the Lady Blazers in order in the top of the seventh, Jackson jumpstarted the final inning with an infield bunt single.  VSU's Hadley bristled retiring Hughes, Adcock and Holland in order to end the game.   

Gonzales (14-10) took the loss despite holding the top-ranked Lady Blazers in check for much of the contest.  The junior worked 4.1 innings while allowing four runs on eight hits with a walk and a strikeout.  Kendall worked 2.1 innings of relief allowing one run on three hits.

VSU's Alanna Hadley (23-2) earned the complete game victory.  The GSC Pitcher of the Year worked 7.0 innings while giving up three runs on seven hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

Holland led the Lady Statesmen at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance with two RBIs.  Johnson paced VSU with a 3-for-4 day at the plate with two RBIs. 

The Lady Statesmen will face the University of West Florida in an elimination game on Saturday at Greenbrook Park.  DSU swept the Argonauts the last time the two teams met on the diamond.  Game time is set for 11 a.m. and the contest will be broadcast on the Lady Statesmen Sports Network starting at 10:45 a.m. on WMJW 107.5 FM and www.GoStatesmen.com.