CLEVELAND, Mississippi – The Delta State softball team recorded its first-ever Gulf South Conference series win over Valdosta State University winning game one 7-3 and rallying back from a two-run deficit to take game two, 4-2, on Sunday, April 23, at University Field.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final (GM1): Delta State 7 | Valdosta State 3
Final (GM2): Delta State 4 | Valdosta State 2
Location: University Field | Cleveland, Miss.
Records: Delta State (20-22, 13-16 GSC) | VSU (33-15, 18-11 GSC)
Get Social: @DeltaStateSB
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1

• The Lady Statesmen took a two-run lead in the top of the first when Mari Alex Sandridge blasted a two-run home run to left field, putting DSU up 2-0 over the Valdosta State Blazers.
• In the circle, Sandridge held the Blazers to just one hit until the top of the third, when VSU took its revenge over Delta State. With two outs, Chelsea Canara doubled to center field and scored on an RBI double by Hayley Cruthers. Cruthers then advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI double by Taylor Hartenbach to tie the game, 2-2.
•  In the bottom of the third, Delta State loaded the bases with no outs. Madison Zoeller singled to center field scoring Sandridge and Jordan Jones, and Delta State took a 4-2 lead. But the Lady Statesmen weren't done yet. Back-to-back RBI singles from Colben Patin and Kory Watterson gave Delta a 6-2 lead over the Blazers.  
• VSU managed to tack two more hits on the board in the top of the fourth, but Sandridge held the Blazers at bay for the next two innings.
• In the bottom of the sixth, Watterson homered to left field, to put Delta State up by five runs, 7-2.
• But the Blazers didn't go down quietly. A two-out RBI single from Cruthers plated Caylee Hancock for VSU's third run of the game, but a groundout ended the game.
• Sandridge earned the win to improve to 5-7. In seven innings of work, she allowed three runs, all earned, on seven hits and struck out seven.
• Kathryn Carter suffered the loss (15-3). In six innings of work, she allowed seven runs, six earned, on 11 hits and struck out two.   

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 2

• The Blazers struck first in the top of the first inning when Brandy Morgan singled to right field, scoring Chelsea Canara for the first run of the game.
• The Blazers extended their lead to 2-0 in the top of the third when Canara homered to left field.
• VSU held Delta State to just three hits until the bottom of the fourth, when the Lady Statesmen made a comeback. A pair of two-out singles by Carlie Vice and Abi Gibson put runners at first and second for Colben Patin, who singled to shortstop, driving home Vice for Delta State's first run of the game. Kory Watterson followed with an RBI single that scored Gibson and tied the game 2-2.
• The game remained tied until the bottom of the sixth. Patin drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring Zoeller for Delta State's third run of the game, and the Lady Statesmen took the lead. Vice scored on a sac fly by Watterson, and Delta State headed to the top of the seventh with a 4-2 lead.
• A leadoff walk put the tying run at the plate for the Blazers in the top of the seventh, but Lacey Crandall lined into a double play, and McIntyre grounded out to end the game.
• Bailie Springfield (8-5) earned the win in the circle for the Lady Statesmen. In seven innings, she gave up two runs, one earned, on three hits.
• Avery Lamb (13-5) suffered the loss. She gave up four runs, three earned, on nine hits, and struck out three in six innings.  

 
STAT OF THE DAY

• The seven runs Delta State scored against Valdosta State in game one mark the most runs DSU has scored on the Blazers during head coach Casey Bourgoyne-Charles' tenure.

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE

• The last time the Lady Statesmen defeated Valdosta State was in 2014 when they won 6-4 during the GSC tournament.
• Prior to the start of game one, DSU honored seniors Kara Lane Nowell, Madison Zoeller, Carah Nunez, Kory Watterson, Taylor Tucker and Kristen Mitchell during Senior Day festivities.
• Sandridge, Zoeller, Patin and Watterson each recorded multi-RBI games. Patin recorded her first multi-RBI game as a Lady Statesman in game two of the series, while Sandridge recorded her seventh to take the team lead.
• Zoeller, Vice, Jones, Sandridge, and Watterson each recorded multi-hit games. Jones leads Delta State with 13 multi-hit games.
• Vice has reached base safely in the past seven games—her longest on base streak of the season.
• Sandridge's home run in game one was her seventh of the season.
• Zoeller's two doubles in game two are a new game high.
• Jones recorded her 13^th double of the season and moves to sixth place in the GSC for most doubles this season.  
• The two home runs in game one are the second most the Lady Statesmen have hit in a single game this season.
• DSU's three doubles in game two tie the second most in a single game this season.
• The Lady Statesmen are 13-3 when scoring the first run of the game and 9-3 when scoring in the first inning.
• Delta State improves to 16-2 when out-hitting opponents and 8-5 when hitting a home run.
• The 11 hits Delta State recorded in game one were four shy of tying the season high.
• Springfield held the Blazers two only three hits—tying the third fewest she has allowed all season.
• Sandridge was just two away from tying her career-high in strike outs. The Blazers struck out seven times against the freshman LHP, tying the second most strikeouts they have recorded this season.
• The seven runs the Blazers sacrificed in game one are the fifth most they have give up all season.  

 
UP NEXT
 
The Lady Statesmen go for their third GSC series sweep of the season with a single game at 10:30 a.m. Monday, April 24.