MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Delta State University softball team pounded out 28 hits in a pair of victories on the final day of the Southern Arkansas Invite on Sunday at the SAU Softball Complex. The Lady Statesmen earned a 12-8 victory over Texas Woman's University in game one and closed out the tournament with a 9-8-comeback victory against Cameron University in eight innings.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final (GM1): Delta State 12, Texas Woman's 4
Final (GM2): Delta State 9, Cameron 8 (8)
Location: SAU Softball Complex | Magnolia, Ark.
Records: Lady Statesmen (7-3) | Texas Woman's (5-5) | Cameron (5-2)
Get Social: @DSUStatesmen | @DSUScores | @DeltaStateSB
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
 

• DSU struck for three runs in the top of the first following three straight doubles and an RBI single by Morgan Kazerooni.
• With a 3-1 lead in the second, DSU plated two more runs off a dropped fly ball by left fielder Logan Polasek.
• The Lady Statesmen scored six big runs in the third, five of which came with two outs, using an RBI single by Kaitlin Moore, a two RBI double by Kazerooni and Madison Zoeller's second two run home run in as many days.
• TWU added a run in the bottom half of the inning and a pair in the fourth.
• DSU took a 12-4 lead in the sixth on Chelsea Lamping's first career RBI single, scoring Cara Nunez.
• The Pioneers made things interesting with three runs in the bottom of the inning and a single run in the seventh.
• Kassidy Tally, Moore, Kazerooni and Nunez each finished with a pair of hits, while Abi Gibson led the way with three. Kazerooni had three RBI's, and Moore finished with two.
• The Lady Statesmen recorded six doubles, including two by Gibson.
• Katie Justice (4-1) allowed eight runs, six earned, on 11 hits with two strikeouts and three walks.
• Three TWU pitchers combined to allow 14 hits. Just four DSU runs were earned.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 2
 

• The Lady Statesmen opened the scoring in the top of the first, as Tally scored from third after Moore was picked off between first and second base.
• After three runs in the second off an RBI single and a two run home run, the Aggies took a 5-1 lead in the third on a solo home run by Abbey Warren and an RBI groundout by Chelsea DeLong.
• DSU picked up its first hits of the contest in the third inning, but on the same play, Lamping was thrown out at home and Tally at third to end the inning.
• Following a single by Moore and a Kazerooni double, Jordan Jones tripled to right field to shrink the Cameron lead to 5-3.
• The Lady Statesmen tied the game in the fifth on a two RBI single by Kazerooni that scored Moore and Gibson.
• DSU took a short-lived 7-5 lead in the sixth when Tally smacked a two out single to left center that scored Kara Lane Nowell and Jones.
• Cameron tied the game at seven when Annie Combs had a one out double.
• Moore led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double down the left field line, but Emily Wasinger recorded two outs, after walking Zoeller, to retire the side.
• Nikki Horton gave the Aggies an 8-7 lead in the eighth with a one out double to left field, but relief pitcher Taylor Tucker recorded two straight outs to minimize the damage.
• In the bottom half of the inning, Nowell led off the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Lamping.  A single by Tally gave the Lady Statesmen runners at second and third with one out. After Gibson grounded out to first, Moore was intentionally walked to load the bases for Kazerooni, who won the game with a 2 RBI double to right-center.
• Taylor Tucker (2-0) allowed four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and four walks in six innings of relief. Taylor Johnson allowed four runs on five hits in two innings.
• Three Cameron pitchers allowed a combined 14 DSU hits. Emily Wasinger allowed three runs on five hits in 2.2 innings of relief.
• Tally and Kazerooni recorded three hits apiece, while Kazerooni drove in a career-high four runs.  

 
 
STAT OF THE DAY
 

• DSU had 28 hits over 15 innings of play.

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
 

• The 21 runs over two games marked the most DSU has scored since plating 25 against West Alabama in 2015.
• In the two games, DSU recorded 10 hits with two outs.
• DSU has scored first in all but one of its games this season.
• The Lady Statesmen have outscored their opponents 16-5 in the first inning, and a combined 17-9 in the last two innings.

 
UP NEXT
 

• DSU begins Gulf South Conference play when it opens its home slate versus in-state rival Mississippi College for a three-game set beginning at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday, Feb. 13.