CLEVELAND, Miss. – Delta State University softball opened the 2015 season at home with a series sweep over Henderson State. The Lady Statesmen took game one 9-8 in nine innings and game two 6-4.
FINAL: Delta State 9, Henderson State 8 (9 innings) Cleveland, Miss. – University Field (GM1)
Delta State 6, Henderson State 4 (GM2)
HOW IT HAPPENEDGame One- The Lady Reddies scored two runs on the front end of the first inning, but DSU responded with four runs on RBI-singles from Taylor Holland and Andrea Cutts to lead 4-2.
- Henderson State scored three more runs in the third and one in the fifth to take the 6-4 lead with Delta State coming to the plate for the bottom of the fifth.
- Cutts went yard with a three-run homerun, scoring Ashley Soos and Kaitlin Moore to regain the lead, 7-6.
- Another HSU run in the sixth and a scoreless seventh from both squads forced extra innings, leaving the score tied 7-7. Each team tallied one run in the eighth, keeping the score deadlocked, with DSU's coming courtesy of an Ashley Mrozinski RBI-single through the hole at shortstop, scoring Mariah Alvarez.
- In an unconventional end to the game and heads-up base running, Madison Zoeller struck out swinging but advanced to first on the passed ball. Cutts scored all the way from second to take the 9-8 victory.
- Freshman Shayna Beaver (1-0) earned the win in relief, pitching 5.2 innings and giving up three runs on four hits. Moore and Cutts both went 2-for-5 with Kory Watterson going 2-for-3. Cutts recorded four RBIs.
Game Two- Delta State struck first in game two when Amber Adcock sent a solo shot over the center field wall in the second inning.
- After a quick one-run response by the Lady Reddies in the top half of the third, DSU rallied to produce three runs in the bottom half. Moore doubled to right center field that brought Alvarez and Kassidy Tally around to score. Later, Moore scored on a wild pitch for the Lady Statesmen to take the 4-1 lead.
- HSU came back to tie the game 4-4 in the fifth on a three-run homerun before Delta State answered with two more runs and sealed the deal later that inning. Alvarez, Moore, and Holland singled with Alvarez scoring on a fielder's choice and Cutts scoring on Holland's RBI-single up the middle.
- Four Lady Statesmen had multi-hit games. Alvarez led, going 3-for-4 with two runs. Holland, Moore, and Adcock each went 2-for-3 with a combined four RBIs.
- Long Beach native Taylor Johnson (1-0) pitched the complete game and gave up four runs, three earned, on six hits.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE- The season opening series sweep against HSU is the first time in two seasons that Delta State softball has opened the season with two wins.
- Three freshmen pitchers combined for 16 innings, 18 hits, and 12 runs.
- Senior Amber Adcock led Delta State on the day with four hits in seven at-bats, including three singles and one homerun.
- Kaitlin Moore followed with a 4-for-8 day, tallying two RBIs and two runs.
WHO'S NEXTThe Lady Statesmen will travel to Huntsville, Alabama this weekend to participate in the UAH Charger Chillout. DSU will play six games in three days, starting with games against Maryville and Montevallo on Friday, Feb. 6.
QUOTABLE – Head Coach Casey Bourgoyne-Charles"I'm glad we got both wins today. The atmosphere and support was great. It's important for our freshman pitchers to gain experience, and they did that today. They did well. Our hitters came through in clutch situations. If anything, I hope this gives our girls a confidence booster."
