CLEVELAND, Miss. – Delta State University softball picked up a split the Arkansas-Monticello on Thursday afternoon at University Field.
INSIDE THE MATCHUPFinal: (GM1) Arkansas-Monticello 14, Delta State 7
(GM2) Delta State 9, Arkansas-Monticello 1 (6 innings)
Location: University Field | Cleveland, Miss.
Records: Lady Statesmen (22-18), Cotton Blossoms (22-19)
Get Social: @DSUStatesmen | @DSUScores | @DeltaStateSB
HOW IT HAPPENEDGAME 1- Monticello got on the board first via two solo home runs in the top of the first inning, putting UAM up 2-0.
- The Lady Statesmen quickly answered in the home half of the first on a Kassidy Tally two-RBI double to right center field. Jessie Rodriguez then walked with the bases loaded to bring in Mariah Alvarez, giving DSU the 3-2 lead.
- UAM regained the lead in the top of the third and never looked back. A hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded and a groundout by UAM's Head scored two runs to give the Cotton Blossoms the 4-3 advantage.
- A three-run homer started the top of the fourth for Monticello, followed by an RBI-single, plating four runs and extending the UAM lead to 8-3.
- In the bottom of the fourth inning, Amber Adcock singled to left field to score Rodriguez, while Kaitlin Moore's sacrifice fly brought Memrie Corley around to score. The score stood at 8-5 in favor of the Blossoms.
- Two more runs were tacked on by Monticello in the top of the fifth and three in the sixth to give UAM the commanding 13-5 lead over Delta State.
- Kory Watterson singled down the left field line to kick-start the bottom half of the sixth, scoring Corley. An RBI-single from Alvarez plated Moore and notched the score at 13-7.
- Another UAM run crossed the plate in the top of the seventh courtesy of a single from Blanchard.
- Delta State went down in its last at-bat to fall by a final 14-7.
- Tally led the way at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance. Adcock, Moore, and Corley each recorded two hits. UAM outhit DSU 14-13.
- Freshman Brooke Watts (0-2) suffered the loss in circle, pitching 2.0 innings and giving up five earned runs on three hits.
GAME 2- It was Monticello that struck first again, this time in the top of the third, on a Wilmarth RBI-single up the middle. UAM earned the early 1-0 lead.
- Moore tied it all up at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth on a solo shot, her third of the season. Alvarez and Tally continued the rally with a single and double, respectively. Alvarez came around to score on a wild pitch, notching the score at 2-1.
- In the bottom frame of the fifth, DSU tacked on six runs to lead 8-1. Taylor Holland's single to left field, her first hit of the day, started the rally, scoring Rodriguez. Brook Cline walked in a run, Tally drove in a run by reaching on a fielding error, and Madison Zoeller singled up the middle to round out the six-run campaign.
- The bottom of the sixth featured Ellen Tarrant scoring on a wild pitch to win the game in run-rule fashion, 9-1.
- Delta State outhit Monticello 10-4. Holland and Corley led the offensive attack with two hits apiece, while six other Lady Statesmen contributed one hit.
- Taylor Johnson (9-4) picked up the win. The freshman pitched 6.0 innings and gave up one earned run on four hits.
STAT OF THE DAY- Delta State used a six-run fifth inning in game two to take the edge over Monticello and pick up the split.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE- Six home runs were combined between the two teams in the doubleheader.
- Monticello's 14 runs in game two is the second highest amount of runs given up by Delta State this season. The most came in the 16-8 loss against West Alabama on February 15.
- Seven Lady Statesmen are now batting over .300, with Amber Adcock batting .438 and Kassidy Tally hitting .423 to led the team.
UP NEXT- The Green-and-White will return to action on Saturday, April 18 for Senior Day at University Field. DSU will take on Shorter University in a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. Senior Day will begin at 3:30 p.m.
