CLEVELAND, Miss. -- The Delta State University Softball team outscored visiting Christian Brothers 9-2 over the final five innings, and pulled away for a 13-5 (6) run-rule victory, in Gulf South Conference action, on Saturday at University Field.

FINAL SCORE: DELTA STATE 13 (21-16, 12-9 GSC), CBU 5 (7-28, 1-20 GSC) (6)
 
GAME CHANGER:
- In the bottom of the fifth inning Kelly Byrd smacked a double with the bases loaded to score three runs giving the Lady Statesmen an 11-5 lead.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- The Lady Statesmen outhit the visitors 14-8.
- Abi Gibson lead DSU going 3-for-4 with three RBIs, including a solo home run that ended the game in the  
  sixth inning.
- Byrd, Carlie Vice, Kaitlyn Eaves, and Kailyn Lofton all had two hits apiece.
- Jordan Jones, Vice and Eaves also drove in two runs each.
- The Lady Statesmen had five extra base hits and four stolen bases.
- Three DSU pitchers combined to allow three earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts.
- Madison Bigner (4-0) allowed one run on two hits in 2.2 innings of relief.

KEY PLAYS:
- For the third straight game CBU scored in the first inning, scoring two runs on an error and a wild pitch.
- The Lady Statesmen responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning on an RBI double by Eaves, a
  run scoring single by Mari Alex Sandridge and a two-RBI single by Gibson.
- CBU tied it at four, in the second, on a single by Ashlyn Hinton.
- The Lady Statesmen took the lead for good in the second inning with an RBI double by Jones and a single 
   by Vice.
- CBU scored its final run of the game on a solo home run by Jenna Cotter.
- After scoring one run in the fourth on a single by Eaves, the Lady Statesmen exploded for five runs in the
  fifth. The inning was highlighted by Byrd's three-RBI double and a double by Vice.
- Gibson ended the game in the sixth with her first home run of the season.
 
NOTEWORTHY:
- With the win DSU won its eighth straight game, and has now swept two straight GSC series.
- The Lady Statesmen won all three games via the mercy rule.
- The home run for Gibson was her first since March 5, 2016 at Union.
- Byrd has reached base safely in 16 straight games.
- The eight-game win streak is the longest for DSU since it won 11 straight in 2016.
- DSU has now won 15 straight games over CBU.

UP NEXT:
- The Lady Statesmen are scheduled to return to action on Saturday, April 7 when they travel to Jackson,  
  Tenn., to face Union for a three-game GSC series.  
  First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.