SOUTHAVEN, Miss. – The Delta State University Lady Statesmen softball team will play in its first Gulf South Conference championship series since 2006 on Sunday, April 29 following a pair of dramatic wins, Saturday at Greenbrook Softball Complex.
 
The Lady Statesmen will face No. 1 ranked Valdosta State for the sixth time this season, and the second time in the tournament. VSU holds a 5-1 mark over DSU this season.
 
The Blazers defeated the Lady Statesmen 5-3 on Friday.
 
DSU (29-30) scored five runs in the top of the seventh to defeat West Florida (33-24) 5-1, and scored five runs in the bottom of the third inning to defeat No. 23 Alabama Huntsville (41-15) 6-5.
 
Brittany Gonzales pitched all 14 innings for the Lady Statesmen in the wins. 
 
UWF went ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning in game one, as Crystal Thompson hit a solo home run to left field.
 
The Lady Statesmen threatened in the bottom of the fifth, as Brook Cline tripled down the right field line to lead off the inning, but was picked off at third base with one out in the inning. DSU was turned away again in the bottom of the sixth, as Amber Adcock was thrown out at the plate following a base hit to left by Cline.
 
DSU finally found its offense in the top of the seventh, when Kendall Sizemore led off the inning with a base hit. Pinch hitter Caroline Womack then drove in the game-tying run with a triple to center field. Maggie Jackson, Adcock and Cline each had RBI in the inning to give DSU the 5-1 lead.
 
UWF threatened in the bottom half of the inning, but Gonzales struck out pinch hitter Jenna Belser with the bases loaded to end the game.
 
Cline finished 3-for-4, while Jackson, Adcock and Ashleigh Allgood each had two hits.
 
Jordan Ratliff (8-10) allowed 13 DSU hits in the loss. Gonzales (15-10) allowed one run on six hits.
 
In game two the explosive UAH offense took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first with a sacrifice fly by Stephanie Needham that scored Kelli Long.
 
The Chargers then took a 3-0 advantage in the top of the third, with two unearned runs, capitalizing on three hits and a pair of errors.
 
Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the third, the Lady Statesmen plated five big runs in the frame against UAH starter Whitney Toler, as Adcock drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, which was followed by an RBI single by Taylor Holland.
 
Following a walk by Allgood, Katie Hebert blasted her first career home run over the left field wall, giving DSU a 5-3 lead.
 
UAH got to within 5-4 in the top of the fifth with an RBI double by Kelli Pullin.
 
The Lady Statesmen scored what proved to be the winning run in the bottom of the sixth, when with two runners on, Kathryn Whitlock's errant throw on a double play attempt got past the first baseman, scoring pinch runner Bre Goley.
 
Following a sacrifice fly by Cortney McNett to get UAH within 6-5, Gonzales got DSU out of a big jam in the top of the seventh, as she retired two straight Charger hitters with the tying run on third.
 
Toler (19-7) allowed four hits in the loss. Gonzales (16-10) allowed five runs, three earned, on 11 scattered hits.
 
DSU will be forced to win two straight games to capture its first Gulf South Conference Championship.
 
First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. All of the action will be carried live on the Lady Statesmen Sports Network beginning at 10:45 a.m.