CLEVELAND, Mississippi – The Delta State University softball team is set to open its 2016 campaign at the PBC-GSC Southern Softball Showdown on Saturday Jan. 30 at the Commons Softball Complex in Columbus Ga.
LADY STATESMEN SOFTBALL GAMEDAY INFOÂ
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DELTA STATE OPENS 2016 CAMPAIGN AT PBC-GSC SOUTHERN SOFTBALL SHOWDOWNThe PBC-GSC Southern Softball Showdown will kick off the 28th season of DSU softball and the eighth under the direction of head coach Casey Charles.
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QUICK HITS- DSU returns nine letterwinners from last year's squad, including four starters (2015 average, HR, RBI) OF Kassidy Tally (.388, 0, 19), C Kara Lane Nowell (.217, 0, 12) OF Kaitlin Moore (.350, 4, 31) and 3B Kory Watterson (.308, 5, 31).
- The Lady Statesmen bring back three contributors from their 2015 pitching   rotation (2015 record, ERA): Katie Justice (3-4, 5.22), Taylor Tucker (4-5, 4.67) and Taylor Johnson (9-6, 4.76) return from the 2015 team.
- The Green-and-White bring back 45 percent of their 2015 hits (187-414) and 44 (16) percent of their pitching wins.
- DSU is scheduled to open the season with 10 neutral-site contests before conference play begins on Feb. 13.
- The Lady Statesmen were 6-5 in neutral-site affairs in 2015.
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SETTING THE STAGE: PBC-GSC SOUTHERN SOFTBALL SHOWDOWN- The Lady Statesmen face three NCAA Tournament teams in their first four contests of the 2016 season. After advancing to its 13th NCAA Tournament in 15 seasons, including back-to-back World Series appearances in 2013-14, Armstrong State advanced to the championship game of the Southeast 2 Regional.
- No. 1 North Georgia returns five starters from its team that won five straight elimination games to claim the 2015 NCAA Championship, and was the unanimous pick to repeat as PBC champions. Augusta returns four starters from its team that advanced to its sixth NCAA Tournament.
2015: QUICK REVIEWThe Lady Statesmen finished the 2015 season 27-24 and went 1-2 in the GSC Tournament, including a 1-0 loss to Alabama-Huntsville.
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Kassidy Tally and
Amber Adcock were named First Team All-GSC, while
Kaitlin Moore and
Taylor Holland were named to the Second Team. Tally was named NFCA All-South Region after hitting .383 with 19 RBIs and 50 stolen bases.
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DSU played 15 games against NCAA Tournament teams and finished 5-10 in those contests. The Lady Statesmen took two-of-three from NCAA SemifiÂnalists Shorter.
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WHERE THEY'RE FROMThe 2016 Lady Statesmen team features 18 players who hail from six different states. Eleven Lady Statesmen are Mississippi natives. Four players call Alabama or Louisiana home, while three states (Georgia, Tennessee and Texas) are home to one player.
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DSU UNDER CHARLESDSU is 181-204 since Casey Charles took over at the helm. The former Lady Statesman is 82-65 at University Field, 52-84 on the road and 47-56 at neutral sites.
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COMEBACKSFive DSU wins in 2015 came after trailing at some point during the game.
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LET'S GET SOME RUNSThe Green-and-White hit .306 with runÂners on base in 2015.
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WALK THIS WAYThe Lady Statesmen finished second in the GSC with 164 walks in 2015, a number which helped DSU to a second place league ranking with a .390 on base percentage.
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DSU IN SEASON OPENERSDSU is 14-8 (.636) in its previous 22 season-opening contests.
2015: DSU 9, Henderson State 8 (9)2014: DSU 7, Henderson State 02013: Kentucky Wesleyan 1, DSU 0
2012: DSU 4, Ouachita Baptist 32011: Nova Southeastern 7, DSU 3
2010: DSU 12, LSU-A 32009: DSU 5, LSU-A 02008: Cameron 6, DSU 5 (9)
2007: Saint Leo 5, DSU 4
2006: DSU 6, Cameron 42005: Barry 1, DSU 0
2004: DSU 9, Mississippi Valley St. 0
2003: DSU 9, Mississippi Valley St. 0 2002: DSU 2, Northwestern Ok. 02001: SE Oklahoma St 7, DSU 4
2000: Alabama Huntsville 8, DSU 1
1999: North Alabama 1, DSU 0
1998: DSU 4, Lambuth 2
1997: DSU 4, William Carey 2
1996: DSU 6, Christian Brothers 0
1995: DSU 3, William Carey 0
1994: DSU 12, West Georgia 3SPEED KILLSOn March 17, 2015
Kassidy Tally slid into the GSC record book, as she broke the career stolen bases record (135) of former Lady Statesman Alyse Hasty. Tally, who is currently the active NCAA leader with 161 swipes, also holds the GSC single-season record with 74 in 2014. The Raleigh, Miss., native is tied for first in GSC history and second in NCAA Division II history with 67 consecutive swipes without being caught.
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WE WANT SOME MOOREDuring her three-year career,
Kaitlin Moore has made her mark on the DSU record book. Moore is currently third in school history with a .362 career batting average. Moore also ranks third in doubles (47) and seventh in both hits (195) and RBIs (119).
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BRING ON THE SOUTHPAWSThe Lady Statesmen were 4-2 last season when facing left-handed pitchers.
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