ROME, Ga. – The No. 20 Delta State University softball team pounded out 18 hits to help earn a 9-6 Gulf South Conference victory over Shorter University on Sunday at Alto Park. With the win, DSU earned its eighth GSC series victory.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Score: DSU 9, Shorter 6
Location: Alto Park | Rome, Ga.
Records: Lady Statesmen (33-12, 21-6) | Hawks (24-17, 15-12)
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HOW IT HAPPENED:

• For the first time in the series the Lady Statesmen scored the opening run of a contest, when Morgan Kazerooni's two out single scored Kassidy Tally from third.
• The hosts answered in the bottom half of the inning by plating a pair of runs on four straight singles with two outs, while also taking advantage of a DSU error.
• The Lady Statesmen took the lead for good in the third on an RBI single by Jordan Jones and an RBI groundout by Madison Zoeller.
• DSU added three more in the fourth on a two-RBI single with the bases loaded, and a sacrifice fly by Kazerooni.
• Jones gave DSU a 7-2 lead in the sixth when her single to second base scored Moore.
• The Lady Statesmen plated two more in the seventh on RBI singles by Kazerooni and Jones.
• Shorter put a scare into DSU in the seventh by plating four runs, using a two run home run an RBI double and a run-scoring single.
• Taylor Johnson (13-5) recorded her second victory in as many games, as she pitched 4.1 innings in relief of starting pitcher Katie Justice. Johnson retired 12-of-15 batters, before surrendering four runs in the seventh.
• Taylor Tucker (3) allowed two hits in 0.2 innings to earn the save.
• Kalei Kimbrell (3-2) allowed three runs on six hits in 2.1 innings, while relief pitcher Payton Lippert surrendered six runs on 12 hits.  
• Tally, Abi Gibson, Kazerooni and Jones recorded three hits apiece, while Moore and Pepper Baker added two.

 
 
STAT OF THE DAY:

• Eight-of-nine DSU starters recorded hits, while six players had more than one hit.

 
        
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• The 18 hits were the second-highest total of the season for DSU, and six more than Shorter had allowed this season.
• The nine runs were the most Shorter had allowed in 2016.  
• Kazerooni leads DSU with 15 multiple-RBI games.
• With her double in the sixth, Moore moved into second place in the GSC record book with 66 for her career. Her 168 RBI's are four behind the DSU record held by Alyse Hasty.

UP NEXT:
 
DSU returns home to face the University of West Florida in a three-game GSC series, with a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 16.