CLEVELAND, Miss. -- The Delta State University softball team lost a six run lead, but scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to defeat in-state rival Mississippi College, on Sunday at University Field. With the win, the Lady Statesmen prevented a sweep by MC for the second straight season. 

FINAL SCORE: DSU 9 (26-23, 17-16 GSC), MC 8 (28-15, 19-12 GSC)
 
GAME CHANGER:
- The Lady Statesmen scored five runs in the first inning.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- The Lady Statesmen were outhit 13-10.
- Mari Alex Sandridge (2-for-3) was the only DSU player with multiple hits, including a three-run home run.
- All nine DSU starters had at least one hit.
- The Lady Statesmen had six extra-base hits, including three home runs.
- Kailyn Lofton and Kelly Byrd both had a solo home run.
- Sandridge earned the win in relief, allowing one hit in 1.1 innings.
- Starting pitcher Nicole Fullilove went 4.1 innings, and surrendered four runs, two earned, on eight hits in 
   with four strikeouts.

KEY PLAYS:
- After RBI singles by Carlie Vice and Kaitlyn Eaves, Sandridge delivered a three-run home run to put DSU
  up 5-0 in the first inning.
- Kailyn Lofton's solo home run gave DSU a 6-0 lead in the second. 
- In the fourth, MC got a pair of RBI singles to score its first two runs of the game.
- The Lady Choctaws took advantage of three errors to plate two more runs in the fifth.
- Byrd's responded with a solo home run in the fifth, extending the DSU lead to 7-4.
- In the sixth, MC had four hits, including three with two outs, to score four runs and take an 8-7.
- The Lady Statesmen responded in the bottom of the inning, as Sandridge and Olivia Dick had back-to-back
  doubles and Dick scored on a wild pitch to help DSU score the game-winning run.
 
NOTEWORTHY:
- Byrd's home run was her 10th of the season, and now puts her in a tie for eighth place in the DSU single-
  season record book.
- The Lady Statesmen are 13-5 when scoring in the first inning.
- DSU is now 5-15 when being outhit by its opponent.
- The three home runs by DSU are tied for the most in a game this season.
- Byrd has hit safely in nine straight games and has reached base safely in 28 straight.
- DSU finished the season with a 12-5 record at University Field.

UP NEXT:
- On Thursday, May 3 the Lady Statesmen are scheduled to face Valdosta State in the opening round of the
  Gulf South Conference Tournament in Florence, Ala. First pitch is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. CT. VSU took
  two-of-three games from DSU in Valdosta on Feb. 24-25.