CLEVELAND, Mississippi – The Delta State softball team will travel to Huntsville, Ala., for a three-game series against Gulf South Conference rival, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 18, at 1 p.m. and concluding with a single game on Sunday, March 19, at 1 p.m.

 

LADY STATESMEN SOFTBALL GAME DAY INFO

DATE | OPPONENT | TIME	March 18, 2017 | UAH | 1:00 p.m. (DH) March 19, 2017 | UAH | 1:00 p.m.
LIVE STATS	Click Here
GAME NOTES	DSU @ UAH
SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES	@DeltaStateSB

INSIDE THE SERIES: PREVIEWING THE FIRST PITCH

• The University of West Georgia took the series at University Field, winning both games of the doubleheader on March 12. But the Lady Statesmen enter the series on a high note, having bounced back to win the final game against UWG, 6-5, on March 13.
• UAH enters after being swept by the University of West Florida.
• The Chargers are currently fourth in GSC overall standings and rank third in the league in runs (157), third in RBIs (138) and fifth in hits (214). Kaitlyn Bannister leads the GSC in hits (47) and batting average (.553), while pitcher, Tyler Harrison boasts the second-lowest ERA in the conference (1.48).
• UAH finished the 2016 season 40-17 overall and 22-11 in the GSC.
• Last season, the Lady Statesmen took two-of-three from the Chargers during their last meeting at Cleveland, Miss. The Lady Statesmen swept the doubleheader, but dropped the third game. 
• After earning the doubleheader sweep against UAH, Delta State received its first NFCA ranking in program history.  
• UAH holds a 10-4 advantage in the last 14 meetings with DSU.

 
QUICK HITS

• Delta State is currently 2-5 on the road.  
• Mari Alex Sandridge has reached base safely in the past 19 contests. Her two RBI double in game three against UWG was her second multi-RBI game of the season. She is currently riding a seven-game hitting streak.  
• Sophomore Jordan Jones leads the Lady Statesmen in batting average (.417), hits (30) and slugging percentage (.583).
• Taylor Johnson earned her second win of the season in the circle during the finale against UWG. In 37.2 innings of work, the junior LHP has allowed 43 hits, struck out 24, and walked only 12 batters.

 
IN THE CIRCLE
 
The Lady Statesmen pitching staff has combined for a 3.53 ERA and holds opponents to .259 batting average, which ranks sixth in the conference. Delta State has struck out 83 batters. Freshman RHP Mari Alex Sandridge leads the team in batters struck out with 26. She boasts a 1.56 ERA—the fourth lowest in the GSC.
 
EARLY AND OFTEN

The Lady Statesmen are 8-2 when scoring the first run of the game and 5-2 when scoring in the first inning. Delta State has scored a combined 110 runs so far this season, 77 of which came within the first four innings.  
 
DOUBLE TROUBLE
 
The Lady Statesmen have tallied 25 doubles. Sophomore Jordan Jones leads the team in doubles with nine and is tied for second in the GSC in doubles. She is only 14 away from tying the Delta State season record.
 
WALK THIS WAY
 
Delta State has drawn 63 walks this season. In conference-only games, Delta State ranks fifth in walks with 33. The Lady Statesmen drew eight walks against Union—the fourth most in a conference game this season. Mari Alex Sandridge and Kara Lane Nowell are tied for the team lead with nine apiece.  
 
WE'RE ONLY FRESHMEN
 
The 2017 DSU roster includes eight incoming freshmen (P/OF Mari Alex Sandridge, INF Hannah Salmon, INF Colben Patin, INF Shelby Newsom, C Carlie Vice, INF Miranda Smith, INF/P Bailie Springfield and OF Olivia Dick).
 
In her first start in the circle, Springfield led the Lady Statesmen to their first win over a nationally ranked opponent this season on Friday, Feb. 10, when Delta State defeated No. 16 the University of Indianapolis 3-1 at the Montevallo Falcon Frenzy Tournament. The freshman right-handed pitcher from Mantee, Miss., pitched the entire seven innings, sacrificing only one run on one hit.
 
Sandridge pitched the 7-0 shutout against Tuskegee on Feb. 11, tying junior LHP Taylor Johnson for the team lead in strikeouts per game with eight and the 4-0 shutout against Union on March 4. She has the fourth lowest ERA of the conference and holds opponents to a .208 batting average. At the plate, Sandridge leads the team in base percentage (.478) and runs scored (16).
 
Dick, Newsom, and Vice have each collected hits and their first RBIs as Lady Statesmen. On March 12, Newsom recorded her first career home run in Delta State's 6-3 loss to West Georgia.
 
WHERE THEY'RE FROM
 
The 2017 Delta State softball team features 19 players from six different states. Thirteen players are Mississippi natives. Two players call Louisiana their home, while four states are home to one player (Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas and Tennessee).  
 
CHASING 250
 
Head coach Casey Bourgoyne-Charles is only 24 games away from her 250th career win. Last season, she eclipsed most wins in a season with 34. Under Charles, the Lady Statesmen are 102-76 at University Field, 64-95 on the road, and 60-66 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

DSU will travel to Monticello, Ark., for a doubleheader against the University of Arkansas at Monticello beginning at 1 p.m. on March 21.