Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 SOUTHAVEN, Miss. – The Delta State University Lady Statesmen softball team upset a pair of teams that are currently in the top 10 of the NCAA South Region rankings and narrowly missed another victory, Saturday at the Gulf South Conference Softball Tournament.
 
The Lady Statesmen (19-35) picked up its first win in four tries over the University of No. 21 North Alabama (38-17) in a 3-1 decision in the opener, before falling allowing a run in a 1-0 loss to No. 4 Valdosta State (39-9) and used a nine hit effort to defeat West Alabama 5-3 in the final game.
 
DSU who was a combined 0-10 versus its three opponents entering today's action was forced to play three times due to a weather forced cancelation on Friday.
 
The Lady Statesmen and UNA each scored a run in the first inning of the opener. Mariah Alvarez gave DSU the 1-0 lead on an RBI single, while Callie Steadman had a run scoring double in the bottom of the inning to tie the game.
 
Amber Adcock led off the top of the third inning with a double, and was driven in two batters later on a single by Taylor Holland.
 
DSU scored its final run of the game in the top of the fifth, when Kassidy Tally, who singled and advanced to second on an error, scored on a sacrifice fly by Adcock, after stealing third base.
 
The Lions left multiple runners on base three times in the game. In the bottom of the seventh, UNA used back-to-back singles to place runners on first and third, but relief pitcher Brittany Gonzales induced a game-ending double play to end the game.
 
Tally, Adcock and Alvarez each had two hits for DSU. Summer Wilkerson led the Lions with three hits.
 
Miller Maddox (5-9) allowed one unearned run on eight hits in 6.1 innings of work to earn the win. Gonzales, who allowed one hit, recorded the two out save.
 
Gonzales continued her good form shortly thereafter, as she got the start in the circle in game two, allowing only five hits to Valdosta State.
 
The game, which was dominated by pitching and defense, saw only 11 combined hits.
 
DSU left the bases loaded in the first inning, and left runners stranded on third base twice.
 
Valdosta State scored the lone run of the game in the top of the seventh, when Sarah Vaughn, who had a one out pinch-hit triple, was driven in with a two out double by Fran Johnson.
 
Hanna Lythberg (14-3) retired the last 10 DSU hitters to end the game. Gonzales, who is now tied for third in school history with 609.2 career innings pitched, allowed one run on five hits.
 
Adcock and Johnson led their respective teams with two hits apiece.
 
In game three, the Lady Statesmen, who were facing elimination, were looking for their first win in four tries over the University of West Alabama. The Tigers had outscored DSU 21-6 entering the game.
 
Tally opened the scoring at 1-0 in the top of the first on a first and third double steal. RBI singles by Taylor Hughes and Brook Cline gave the Green-and-White a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth.
 
The Tigers responded with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings on a solo home run by Stephanie Shoup and taking advantage of a Lauren Kendall wild pitch to make the score 3-2.
 
DSU got a bit of breathing room by plating single runs in the sixth and seventh innings with RBI singles by Alvarez and Adcock.
 
UWA threatened in the home half of the seventh, scoring a run on an infield single by Anna Shartzer, but Kendall forced a pop up and a ground out to end the game, as the Tigers left the tying run at the plate.
 
Adcock (2-for-5) collected her third multiple hit game of the day to lead DSU. Tally, Alvarez and Hughes also had two hits. Brooklyn Phillips led the Tigers with two hits as well.
 
Kendall (5-9), who has allowed only three earned runs in her last 11.2 innings, gave up three earned runs on seven hits.
 
Three UWA pitchers combined to allow five runs, four earned on nine hits. Skylar Davis (0-3) allowed three runs on five hits in 4.1 innings of work.
 
DSU continues action at the GSC Tournament on Sunday, May 5 at 11:00 a.m. with a matchup versus the University of West Florida. With a victory, the Lady Statesmen will play in the GSC Championship game for the second straight season.
 
The action will be carried live on the Lady Statesmen Sports Network, as well as a live video stream provided by the Gulf South Conference.