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Elisabetta Zengaro

Softball Elisabetta Zengaro

Delta State Softball Set for Falcon Frenzy

GAME NOTES

CLEVELAND, Mississippi – After a 2-4 start to its 2017 season at the Gulf Coast Invite =, the Delta State University softball team is scheduled to play five contests at the Montevallo Falcon Frenzy from Friday, Feb. 10 to Sunday Feb. 12.
 
PREVIEWING THE MONTEVALLO FALCON FRENZY
  • DSU will open the tournament against No. 16 the University of Indianapolis on Friday, Feb. 10 at 11:15 a.m. UIndy enters the Falcon Frenzy coming off a program-best 51-5 season, Great Lakes Valley Conference championship title and ninth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The Hounds return four all-conference players from last season team.
  • Delta State will square off against Tuskegee for the second time this season at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11. Delta State defeated Tuskegee 5-4 in the Gulf Coast Invite last weekend. For game two, DSU will play Ursuline College at 3:45 p.m. The Arrows finished last season with a 16-27 overall record and 9-15 in the G-MAC. The Arrows' defense was ranked in the top 15 nationally last season. Ursuline also led the G-MAC in defense with a .972 fielding percentage. 
  • On the final day of the Falcon Frenzy, DSU will face Truman State University for game one at 9 a.m. on Feb. 12. The The Bulldogs finished 2016 with an overall record of 30-20 and 20-10 record in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Bulldogs return seven starters, including GLVC Freshman of the Year, Christa Reisinger. Catcher, Lex Van Nostrand led the Bulldogs with eight doubles and 35 RBIs.
  • The Lady Statesmen will conclude the tournament against host team, the University of Montevallo, on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 1:30 p.m. The Falcons are currently 2-4. They return three key starters from their 2016 lineup: Kelsey Vining, Celestia Davila and Lady Sarah Federico. Vining led the Peach Belt Conference in batting average (.483), on-base percentage (.575) and stolen bases (41). Batting .328, Davalia was tied for the team lead with 10 doubles led the Falcons in slugging percentage (.500) last season. Federico finished the 2016 campaign with a .299 batting average, two home runs, and 21 RBIs. Senior Jocelyn Rivera will anchor the Falcons' pitching staff after posting a team-best 5.28 earned run average and a team-high 89 strikeouts last season.
  • Indianapolis, Truman, and Ursuline will each open their 2017 campaign at the Falcon Frenzy. Of the five teams Delta State is slated to play, only two finished 2016 with winning records (Indianapolis and Truman). Indianapolis is the only ranked team Delta State is scheduled to play.
 
QUICK HITS  
TUCKER LEADING THE WAY IN THE CIRCLE
  • Senior starting pitcher Taylor Tucker will anchor the Lady Statesmen's pitching staff this season. In 2016, she pitched in 30 games, making 19 starts. She posted a 13-7 record with 40 strikeouts, a 3.18 ERA and nine complete games in 127.2 innings. Tucker finished the season with a team-best three saves. Overall, Tucker currently ranks ninth in school history in career wins (28) and 10th in games pitched (77).
 
HOT SWINGING BATS
  • The Lady Statesmen hit .308 last season with 264 RBIs, 85 doubles, six triples and 31 home runs.
 
LET'S GET SOME RUNS
  • Delta State scored 288 runs last season--ranking sixth in the GSC in runs scored. The Lady Statesmen outscored opponents 59-31 in first inning action. Nine times Delta State won by scoring at least 10 runs.
 
WHERE THEY'RE FROM
  • The 2017 Delta State softball team features 22 players from six different states. Fourteen players are Mississippi natives. Four players call Louisiana their home, while four states are home to one player (Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas and Tennessee).  
 
A LOOK BACK AT 2016
  • The Lady Statesmen ended the 2016 season with a 34-20 record—the most wins in a season since 2008. The 34 victories were also a career high for head coach Casey-Bourgoyne-Charles.
  • Delta State opened the 2016 season with a 12-0 start in GSC play—the best start since the Lady Statesmen won 11 straight in 2004. After taking two-of-three from then No. 3 Alabama Huntsville, Delta State received its first NFCA Top 25 ranking in school history. Delta State concluded the season going 1-2 at the 2016 GSC Tournament.
  • Seniors Kassidy Tally and Kaitlin Moore were both named to the All-GSC First Team and received NFCA South Region honors.
  • After hitting .417 with 73 hits, 22 doubles, and 51 RBIs, Moore was named to the CCA First Team All-South Region and CCA Honorable Mention All-American.
  • Tally finished her career as the DSU and GSC leader with 230 stolen bases, which is third in NCAA Division II history. She received CCA Second Team All-South Region honors and the NFCA Golden Shoe. 
  • DSU played 21 games against NCAA Tournament teams and finished 7-14 in those contests.
 
CHASING 250
  • Head coach Casey Bourgoyne-Charles is only 33 games away from her 250th career win. Last season, she elcipsed most wins in a season with 34. Under Charles, the Lady Statesmen are 98-74 at University Field, 62-90 on the road, and 57-65 at neutral sites.
 
DELTA STATE PICKED TO FINISH FIFTH IN GSC
  • For the first time since 2011, the Delta State University softball team has been picked to finish in the top five of the Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. 
  • Jumping one spot from last year, the Lady Statesmen were picked to finish fifth in the conference with 72 points.
  • Defending GSC and national champion, the University of North Alabama was picked unanimously to finish first with 121 points. Alabama Huntsville was picked second with 105 points, followed by Valdosta State (98) and West Florida (92). 
  • Delta State received three fourth place votes, five fifth place votes, one sixth place vote, one seventh place vote and one 10th place vote. Mississippi College (68 points), Shorter (64), West Georgia (54), Lee (51), West Alabama (32), Union (21) and Christian Brothers (14) rounded out the poll.
  • The GSC Preseason Coaches' Poll is voted on by League's head coaches.
 
TWO LADY STATESMEN TAPPED 2017 GSC TOP NEWCOMERS
  • Freshmen Olivia Dick and Mari Alex Sandridge were named to the GSC 2017 Top Newcomers list.
  • Dick is an outfielder from Brandon, Miss. She played at Northwest Rankin High School under the direction of Britt Bennett and Taylor Hughes. She was named The Clarion-Ledger's Best of MS Preps in 2015. She holds the season record for most hits (54) and stolen bases (51).
  • Sandridge is a pitcher/outfielder from Hernando, Miss. She lettered in softball and basketball at Magnolia Heights High School.
  • Dick and Sandridge highlight Delta State's 10 newcomers. The Lady Statesmen also return 12 letterwinners from last year's squad. 
UP NEXT
  • Delta State will travel to Livingston, Ala., to open Gulf South Conference play against the University of West Alabama. The Lady Statesmen will play a doubleheader at noon on Saturday, Feb. 18, followed by a single game on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 1:00 p.m.
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Players Mentioned

Kaitlin Moore

#10 Kaitlin Moore

OF
5' 10"
Senior
Left
Kassidy Tally

#2 Kassidy Tally

OF
5' 8"
Senior
Left
Abi Gibson

#4 Abi Gibson

INF
5' 3"
Sophomore
Right
Taylor Johnson

#25 Taylor Johnson

P
5' 7"
Junior
Left
Jordan Jones

#8 Jordan Jones

OF
5' 5"
Sophomore
Left
Kara Lane Nowell

#6 Kara Lane Nowell

INF
5' 4"
Senior
Right
Carah Nunez

#13 Carah Nunez

INF
5' 4"
Senior
Left
Taylor Tucker

#23 Taylor Tucker

P
5' 6"
Senior
Right
Madison Zoeller

#9 Madison Zoeller

C
5' 6"
Senior
Right
Miranda Smith

#19 Miranda Smith

INF
5' 8"
Freshman
Left
Brittany Taylor

#11 Brittany Taylor

P
5' 8"
Junior
Right
Olivia Dick

#22 Olivia Dick

OF
5' 6"
Freshman
Left

Players Mentioned

Kaitlin Moore

#10 Kaitlin Moore

5' 10"
Senior
Left
OF
Kassidy Tally

#2 Kassidy Tally

5' 8"
Senior
Left
OF
Abi Gibson

#4 Abi Gibson

5' 3"
Sophomore
Right
INF
Taylor Johnson

#25 Taylor Johnson

5' 7"
Junior
Left
P
Jordan Jones

#8 Jordan Jones

5' 5"
Sophomore
Left
OF
Kara Lane Nowell

#6 Kara Lane Nowell

5' 4"
Senior
Right
INF
Carah Nunez

#13 Carah Nunez

5' 4"
Senior
Left
INF
Taylor Tucker

#23 Taylor Tucker

5' 6"
Senior
Right
P
Madison Zoeller

#9 Madison Zoeller

5' 6"
Senior
Right
C
Miranda Smith

#19 Miranda Smith

5' 8"
Freshman
Left
INF
Brittany Taylor

#11 Brittany Taylor

5' 8"
Junior
Right
P
Olivia Dick

#22 Olivia Dick

5' 6"
Freshman
Left
OF