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CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Delta State University Lady Statesmen hit the road on Saturday, April 13 for its shortest Gulf South Conference road trip of the season at Christian Brothers University.

THE WEEK AHEAD

DSU is currently in fifth place in the GSC, two games behind fourth place West Alabama. The Lady Bucs enter the weekend at 5-17 in league play. CBU has lost five GSC contests by only one run, including a pair versus North Alabama on March 20. CBU scored a school record 11 runs in the bottom of the first inning to defeat UNA 14-4 on April 7.

THE SLATE

Saturday, April 13
2 p.m. | 4 p.m. –DSU vs. Christian Brothers University | Bland Field | Memphis, Tenn.
Last Meeting with CBU – W, 8-7 | W, 9-0 (5) | 3.9.13
Coverage: Live internet radio broadcast, Facebook, Twitter

LAST TIME OUT

After dropping 3-of-4 league games over the weekend, including a pair of one run losses to the University of North Alabama,
on Senior Day, the Lady Statesmen split a non-conference doubleheader with former Gulf South Conference rival Arkansas
Monticello. The Cotton Blossoms took a commanding 6-1 lead in the top of the fifth and held on for the win. DSU scored four
runs in the bottom of the third and held off a late rally to win the second game 6-4.

LADY STATESMEN SOFTBALL NOTES

A MASTER THIEF

Outfielder Kassidy Tally has taken advantage nearly every time she has reached base this season. The freshman leads the Gulf South Conference with 25 stolen bases. The Raleigh, Miss., native has reached base safely in 27 of her 32 starts.

LET'S GET SOME RUNS

In the 12-6 victory over the Ohio Dominican Panthers in the fourth game of the season, the Lady Statesmen already surpassed the 2012 total for most runs in a game. DSU scored in double digits one time last season, which came in a 15-11 loss at Henderson State. The Green-and-White have scored in double digits three this season, with the last time being the 11-1 victory over West Georgia on March 30.

GONZALES MOVING UP DSU RECORD BOOK

Following a solid junior season, that helped her earn Preseason All-GSC honors, senior pitcher Brittany Gonzales currently ranks fourth in school history in innings pitched (566), fifth in strikeouts (280), fourth in appearances (117) and sixth in wins (40). The former Live Oak High School standout is currently 8-11 with a 4.04 ERA. In the 5-2 victory over West Georgia on March 2, Gonzales made her 100th career appearance and pitched in her 500th career inning.

GOOD EYES

Current Lady Statesmen Taylor Hughes and Taylor Holland are climbing the Delta State softball record books in career walks. The duo have combined for 36 walks this season. Holland ranks fourth in the GSC with 20 walks, while Hughes is tied for eighth with 16. With her 63 career walk on March 30 versus West Georgia, Hughes moved in to a tie for fourth place all time with former Lady Statesman Alicia Wright. The Morton, Miss., is 10 away from tying her current coach, Casey Charles for first in school history with 75. Through 92 career games, Holland is eighth in school history with 42 total walks.

MOORE TAKES TWO

Freshman Kaitlin Moore has taken the Gulf South Conference by storm during the first 38 games of her collegiate career. The Southaven, Miss., native currently leads the GSC with a .432 batting average. Her .42 doubles per game are tied for 11th in the NCAA. In her first career Gulf South Conference doubleheaders versus West Georgia and Shorter, Moore finished a combined 9-of-13, including five doubles. The former Desoto Central High School product currently leads the Lady Statesmen in every offensive category, with the exception of home runs and also ranks second in the GSC in on base percentage (.504).

NO ORDINARY FRESHMEN

Three freshmen have helped lead the way at the plate for Lady Statesmen this season. Kaitlin Moore, Mariah Alvarez and Kassidy Tally have accounted for 120 of DSU's 290 total hits. The trio has also scored 60 of 153 total runs. Moore leads the GSC with a .432 batting average, Alvarez was named Gulf South Conference Player of the Week on April 1 and Tally leads the GSC with 25 stolen bases.

LADY STATESMEN TABBED SIXTH IN GSC

One year after winning the national championship, Valdosta State comes in as the favorite to earn the Gulf south Conference crown. The Blazers, who have won the last four GSC titles, grabbed five of the eight first place votes and finished with 47 points. Alabama-Huntsville, always one of the top contenders in the GSC, earned the remaining three first place votes and finished second in the poll of league coaches with 42 points. West Alabama (36 points) came in third. West Florida (32), which picked up a second place vote, was a close fourth. North Alabama (22) came in fifth and was closely followed by Delta State (21), which finished second in last season's GSC Tournament. West Georgia (16) and Christian Brothers (7) rounded out the voting.