GAME NOTES: Delta State @ North Alabama (2.22-23.14)

CLEVELAND, Miss. - Delta State University softball enters its second conference matchup of the season this weekend at North Alabama. The Lady Statesmen (7-7, 1-2 GSC) will take on the Lions (11-4, 2-1 GSC) in a double header on Saturday, Feb. 22 and a single game to wrap up the series on Sunday, Feb. 23.

STATESMEN GAME DAY INFORMATION
Series Date/Location:	Feb. 22-23, 2014 | UNA Softball Complex | Florence, Ala.
Game Time:	Saturday DH 2 p.m. | Sunday 1 p.m.
Radio:	Statesmen Sports Network | Caroline George (PxP)
Rankings:	Delta State (NR - NFCA) North Alabama (NR - NFCA)
Live Audio:	http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/dsu.portal#
Live Stats:	http://www.sidearmstats.com/deltastate/softball/

THE LEADOFF
The Lady Statesmen suffered a tough series loss to West Alabama last weekend in the conference opening series to drop the series, 1-2, to the Tigers.

Delta State took game one of the series, 3-1, but then fell to UWA in game two of the double header on Saturday, 4-0. Game three would decide who won the series and neither team was willing to give up the conference opening series.

A 12-inning marathon for game three of the series featured 25 runs, 39 hits, and 108 at-bats between the two squads. Unfortunately, DSU was on the losing end of the final, falling 15-10 in 12 innings to the Tigers.

The Green-and-White bounced back to sweep Stillman College, two crucial wins for Delta State to get back on the right track. DSU won game on 5-2 and game two 9-1 in five innings.

This week's matchup with the Lions of North Alabama (11-4, 2-1 GSC) will be a tough test for the Lady Statesmen as UNA sits atop the standings of the GSC.

Four Lions are batting over .300, including Chloe Wolf who leads the team with a .395 batting average and is tied for first on the team in homeruns with three.

North Alabama is coming off its conference opening series with West Florida that saw the Lions taking the upper hand on the series, winning two games out of three.

Five Lady Statesmen are batting well over .300, with two players batting .298. Amber Adcock and Kaitlin Moore are leading the pack with .378 averages.

Sophomore Kassidy Tally is showing off her speed this season, as she is already 14-for-16 in stolen bases just 14 games into the 2014 campaign. The Raleigh, Miss., native has crossed the plate nine times in Delta State's last five games.

The DSU pitching staff has stepped up its game lately. Taylor Tucker is pitching very well, posting a 2.93 ERA and holds a 5-2 record. Senior Miller Maddox pitched her first complete game against Stillman College. She earned the win, pitching 7.0 innings, giving up four hits and two runs, striking out four Stillman Tigers and walking none.

Freshman Macie Wilde bounced back from a few disappointing performance to one-hit Stillman College in game two of the double-header. She pitched 5.0 innings, gave up one unearned run, striking out six and walking one.