COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Delta State University softball team split a pair of games on the final day of the PBC-GSC Southern Softball Showdown on Saturday at South Commons Softball Complex. In game one, the Lady Statesmen shutout Augusta 3-0, before dropping a 6-5 decision to Columbus State.
INSIDE THE MATCHUPFinal (GM1): Delta State 3, Augusta 0
Final (GM2): Columbus State 6, Delta State 5
Location: South Commons Softball Complex | Columbus, Ga.
Records: Lady Statesmen (2-2) | Augusta (0-3) | Columbus State (1-2)
Get Social: @DSUStatesmen | @DSUScores | @DeltaStateSB
HOW IT HAPPENEDGame 1 - Morgan Kazerooni gave the Lady Statesmen a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second with her first collegiate home run, a line drive shot to left-center field.
- The Lady Statesmen added a pair in the sixth when Madison Zoeller scored on a wild pitch and Abi Gibson singled to center, driving in Kory Watterson.
- Augusta had its best chance in the top of the first when it loaded the bases with two outs.
- Katie Justice (2-0) went the distance, allowing just four hits. She struck out one and walked a pair.
- Haley Birkle (0-2) allowed three runs on six hits with six strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENEDGame 2 - The Lady Statesmen jumped ahead 3-0 in the bottom of the first, using an RBI double by Kaitlin Moore and a two RBI single by Zoeller.
- Columbus State retaliated with a pair of runs in the third, but the Lady Statesmen answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning on Zoeller's third RBI of the contest.
- The Lady Cougars scored a run in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the seventh, taking advantage of two Lady Statesmen errors in the process.
- DSU added a run in the seventh, but Moore grounded out to first base with a runner on to end the contest.
- Taylor Johnson (0-2) allowed five runs, two earned, on six hits. Taylor Tucker allowed an unearned run on two hits in 2.2 innings of relief.
- Peyton Sorrells (1-0) allowed five runs, four earned on seven hits, with four strikeouts.
- Zoeller (3-for-3) was the only DSU player with multiple hits in both games.
STAT OF THE DAY - The Lady Statesmen committed four errors in the loss Columbus State. Four Lady Cougar runs were unearned.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE - The victory marked the first career shutout for Justice, who has stranded 21 runners in her two starts this season. She has allowed just one earned run in 14 innings.
- The victory over Augusta marked the fourth shutout for the Lady Statesmen since March 28, 2015.
- In its two victories in the PBC-GSC Southern Softball Showdown, DSU defeated a pair of NCAA Tournament teams from 2015, including defending national champion North Georgia.
UP NEXT - The Lady Statesmen travel to Magnolia, Ark., for the Southern Arkansas Tournament. DSU plays six games in three days, and opens with Lincoln University (Mo.) on Friday, Feb. 5 at 10 a.m. CT. All games will be carried live on the Lady Statesmen Sports Network.