CLEVELAND, Miss. -- The No. 23 Delta State University softball team will look to break its four game losing skid when it faces Christian Brothers University for a three-game Gulf South Conference series on Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled for 2 p.m., while Sunday's single game is set for 1 p.m. 



 

DATE | OPPONENT | TIME	April 2  | Christian Brothers (DH) | 2 p.m. April 3 | Christian Brothers | 1 p.m.
RANKINGS | RECORDS	DSU | No. 23 NFCA | 27-10, 16-5 GSC CBU | NR | 6-28, 2-19 GSC
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GAME NOTES	Lady Statesmen Softball Game Notes
SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES	@DSUScores

 














 
 
 
DSU RETURNS HOME TO FACE CBU IN GSC SERIES
The Lady Statesmen look to bounce back after dropping three contests at No. 4 North Alabama.  

• DSU has dropped four straight contests for the first time since dropping nine straight in the early stages of 2015.  
• The 9-1 setback to UNA (3-25) was the first time that the Lady Statesmen have been defeated by the mercy rule since the Lions claimed an 8-0 victory over DSU at the 2015 GSC Tournament.

 

QUICK HITS

• For the first time in school history the Lady Statesmen are ranked in the NFCA Top 25 poll. DSU checked in at No. 21 in the March 23 edition of the poll and No. 23 in the latest March 30 edition.
• DSU is 13-3 at University Field in 2016 and 15-5 in its last 20 home contests.

 

SETTING THE STAGE: CBU

• The Lady Statesmen hold an 8-2 edge in the last 10 meetings with CBU, with the two Lady Bucs victories coming in 2013. DSU earned a 9-4 victory in the opener and a 9-1 (5) victory in the nightcap to earn the sweep at Bland Field.
• Kassidy Tally led the way for the Lady Statesmen against CBU last season, as she went 4-for-5 over the two contests.
• Current members of the pitching staff Katie Justice and Taylor Tucker earned victories against CBU in 2015. Justice allowed two runs on five hits in five innings, while Tucker surrendered just one run in five innings. 

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IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR
Through 37 games, the Lady Statesmen have driven in 205 runs, which is just 23 less than the total from all 51 games in 2015. Kaitlin Moore is one hit away from matching her 2015 total (55), and has driven in 10 more runs (41) than last season. Kassidy Tally has stolen four more bases (54) than in 2015.
 

200 CLUB
In the second game of the doubleheader sweep of Miles (3-15) Kassidy Tally appeared in her 200th career contest. Tally needs just nine more games to break into the DSU record book. Kaitlin Moore entered the 200 club against Alabama Huntsville on Saturday, March 19.
 

LEADERS OF THE PACK
Kaitlin Moore and Kassidy Tally entered the week in the top-five among all active NCAA players in three statistical categories, and in five categories among NCAA Division II players. Moore ranks second in all divisions with 63 career two-baggers, while Tally is the active NCAA leader with 215 stolen bases. Tally is tied for fourth in all divisions and ranks second in NCAA Division II with 688 career at bats.
 
Among NCAA Division II players, Tally is fourth in runs (181), while Moore is fourth in hits (249). Tally currently leads the nation with 54 steals, while Moore is tied for the lead with 16 doubles.
 

FINDING A WAY
DSU has reached base 138 times via walks or hit by pitch. The Lady Statesmen lead the GSC with 27 hit by pitch, and rank fifth in the league with 111 walks. DSU's .397 on base percentage is fourth-best in the league.
 

EARLY AND OFTEN
The Lady Statesmen are 22-4 when scoring the first run of a game. DSU has outscored opponents 86-38 in the first two innings, compared to a 48-42 deficit in the fourth and fifth.  
 

LET'S GET A ROUND-TRIPPER
The Lady Statesmen are 10-1 when hitting a home run this season.
 

MAKING HISTORY
With their appearance in the March 23 edition of the NFCA Top 25 poll, the Lady Statesmen are ranked for the first time in the history of the program. After dropping three contests at North Alabama, DSU slipped from 21st to 23.
 

LADY STATESMEN TABBED SIXTH
For the second straight season, the Delta State University softball team was picked to finish sixth in the Gulf South Conference preseason poll.
 
For the second straight year, Valdosta State (92 points) and Alabama Huntsville (87) were picked first and second. 2015 GSC Champion and NCAA Semifinalist Shorter (86) was picked to finish third. North Alabama (80) received the final first place vote.
 
Lee (65), in its first year as a full member of the GSC, was selected fifth.
 
The Lady Statesmen had three fifth place votes, four sixth place votes and three seventh place votes. Union (39), West Alabama (38), West Florida (33 points), West Georgia (24) and Christian Brothers (11) rounded out the poll.