FLORENCE, Ala. -- No. 2 seed Valdosta State hit four home runs and held on for a 6-3 victory over the No. 7 seed Delta State University softball team, in the Gulf South Conference Tournament, on Thursday at the UNA Softball Complex.

FINAL SCORE: VSU 6 (40-11), DSU 8 (26-24)
 
GAME CHANGER:
- Valdosta State hit at least one home run in four of six innings.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- The Lady Statesmen were outhit 9-7.
- Jordan Jones (3-for-4) was the only DSU player with multiple hits.
- DSU finished the game with three extra-base hits, including doubles by Jones and Abi Gibson and a two-run home run by Colben Patin.
- Lady Statesmen starting pitcher Taylor Johnson (10-12) allowed four runs on six hits in four innings of work.

KEY PLAYS:
- In the first inning Taylor Hartenbach hit the first of her two home runs, giving VSU a 1-0 lead.
- The Lady Statesmen tied the game in the third on Jones' RBI double.
- Hartenbach answered in the bottom of the inning with a two-run home run.
- Patin tied the game at three in the top of the fourth with a two run home run.
- VSU answered in the bottom of the fourth on a home run by Lacey Crandall.
- Crandall drove in another run in the fifth, taking advantage of a two-out error, when she drove in a run with a base hit up the middle.
- GSC Player of the Year Jessica Mohl gave the Lady Blazers a 6-3 lead with a solo home run in the sixth.

NOTEWORTHY:
- VSU is 3-1 against the Lady Statesmen this season.
- DSU is now 5-16 when being outhit by its opponent.
- Kelly Byrd failed to reach base for the first time in 29 games.
- DSU is 10-11 when its opponent scores in the first inning.
- Jones now has 13 multi-hit games this season.

UP NEXT:
- The Lady Statesmen are scheduled to continue play at the GSC Tournament, where they will face West Florida in an elimination game. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. In the only meeting of the year, UWF defeated the Lady Statesmen 3-1 on Feb. 18.