GAME NOTES: Delta State @ West Florida - GSC Tournament (5.2-5.19)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - The No. 8-seeded Lady Statesmen (22-23, 12-18 GSC) of  Delta State University open the Gulf South Conference Tournament against the No. 2 nationally-ranked Argonauts (43-8, 25-4 GSC) of the University of West Florida on Thursday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m. in Pensacola, Fla., at the UWF Softball Complex. Streaming video, live stats, and complete game recaps will be available at GoStatesmen.com for each game of the GSC Tournament.

West Florida swept the regular season series with Delta State, but all three games were tightly contested affairs at University Field. The Lady Statesmen are 9-21 against the Argonauts during coach Casey Charles' tenure while the program holds a 5-5 mark against UWF in the GSC Tournament.

The Lady Statesmen are making their 32nd trip to the Gulf South Conference Tournament, a league record. Delta State is 38-58 all-time in the league's annual postseason dance, including eight semifinals and four finals appearances. During head coach Casey Charles time at DSU, the Lady Statesmen have made nine postseason appearances and own an 11-14 in GSC Tournament play, advancing to the semifinals three times and playing for the 2012 league title. The Lady Statesmen own one GSC title, defeating Valdosta State 6-1 to claim the 1992 crown in Florence, Ala.

GSC TOURNAMENT NOTEBOOK

• The Lady Statesmen are making their 32nd trip to the Gulf South Conference Tournament, a league record. Delta State is 38-58 all-time in the league's annual postseason dance, including eight semifinals and four finals appearances. The Lady Statesmen own one GSC title, defeating Valdosta State 6-1 to claim the 1992 crown in Florence, Ala.
   
• No. 8-seed Delta State (22-23, 12-18 GSC) opens the 2019 GSC Tournament against the No. 2 nationally-ranked Argonauts (43-8, 25-4 GSC) of the University of West Florida on Thursday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m. in Pensacola, Fla., at the UWF Softball Complex. The Argonauts captured their first GSC regular season championship this season, earning the top seed and right to host. West Florida swept the regular season series with Delta State, but all three games were tightly contested affairs at University Field. The Argos claimed the Saturday doubleheader 5-3 and 5-1 before edging the Lady Statesmen in the series finale 4-2 on Sunday. The winner of Thursday's game will advance to play the victor of the Valdosta State (33-14, 14-12 GSC) and West Alabama (28-21, 15-13 GSC) while the losers will face off in a Friday elimination game.
      
• Delta State is making its 32nd GSC Tournament appearance and the ninth under head coach Casey Charles. The Lady Statesmen are 11-14 in GSC Tournament play during Charles' tenure, advancing to the semifinals three times and playing for the 2012 league title.
   
• Delta State carries a 5-13 record against the teams advancing to the Gulf South Conference Tournament. The GSC Tournament features three nationally-ranked teams, including host West Florida (No. 2 NFCA), Alabama Huntsville (No. 16 NFCA) and Mississippi College (No. 25 NFCA). The Lady Statesmen faced six of the seven teams in the bracket while not squaring-off with Valdosta State during the regular season. DSU swept West Georgia (No. 6) and claimed one game each against Mississippi College (No. 3) and Alabama Huntsville (No. 2). West Florida (No. 1), Union (No. 7) and West Alabama (No. 5) swept the regular season series.
   
• The Lady Statesmen will be playing their 29th game away from University Field on Thursday, May 2 when Delta State (No. 8) squares off with GSC regular season champion West Florida (No. 1) in the opening round of the Gulf South Conference Tournament in Pensacola, Florida. Delta State is 16-12 on the road this season, including an 8-3 mark in neutral site contests.

AROUND THE HORN: @DELTASTATESB NEWS & NOTES

• As the Delta State University Lady Statesmen prepare to make their 32nd appearance in the Gulf South Conference Tournament, senior Kelly Byrd has been named to the All-Gulf South Conference First Team. The All-GSC Team is nominated and voted on by the league's head coaches. The complete 2019 All-GSC Team is listed below. Byrd, a Second Team All-GSC selection a year ago, is on the verge of breaking the school record for career batting average, as the Terry native is hitting .418 (51-of-122) this year, pushing her career average to .392 (104-of-265) and topping the .390 mark currently held by Kristi Braverman (1999-2000). The Jones County JC transfer has had a solid senior season, with 12 doubles, eight home runs and 32 RBIs. Her .565 on-base percentage currently leads the GSC.
   
• Delta State enters the Gulf South Conference Tournament with a 5-8 record against teams ranked in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Top 25 Poll. The Lady Statesmen upended No. 5 Saint Leo (1-0) at the Gulf Shores Invitational followed by back-to-back victories over No. 12 Illinois-Springfield (9-7) and No. 1 Southern Indiana (13-4) at the Charger Chillout in Huntsville, Ala. DSU also lost three-straight last weekend to the new No. 1 in this week's NFCA Top 25 - West Florida. The Lady Statesmen won game three, 9-8, against No. 8 Alabama Huntsville, but dropped games one (8-0) and two (2-1). DSU went 1-2 in the final series of the regular season at No. 25 Mississippi College, claiming an 8-5 win in game two while the Choctaws took games one and three, 3-0 and 4-2.
   
• The Lady Statesmen will be playing their 29th game away from University Field on Thursday. Delta State is 16-12 on the road this season, including an 8-3 mark in neutral site contests.
   
• Jordan Jones has put together a phenomenal senior season, batting .343 with 13 doubles, six home runs and a team-leading 44 RBIs. The Crystal Springs native is a career .334 hitter with 47 doubles, seven triples, 14 home runs and 126 RBIs. She ranks 4th in career doubles, 7th in RBIs, 5th in stolen bases and 9th in hits in Lady Statesmen history.
   
• Nicole Fullilove has quietly put together a solid two-year career for the Lady Statesmen, posting a 21-18 record with a 3.04 ERA and 205 strikeouts. The Batesville native ranks 9th on the DSU career strikeouts list and 5th on the single-season chart with 129 this season. In 28 starts this year, Fullilove is 12-14 with a 2.92 ERA. Her 163.2. innings pitched are 2nd in the GSC while her 129 strikeouts rank fourth.
   
• Ta'mya Johnson has turned in an amazing freshman season for the Lady Statesmen, starting 44 of 45 games in the outfield. The Atoka, Tenn., native is batting .273 with seven doubles, four home runs and 32 RBIs.
   
• The Lady Statesmen are batting .279 with runners in scoring position this season while opponents are managing a .254 clip. Senior outfielder/utility Jordan Jones has been the best in these situations, hitting .429 (27-for-63) including 39 of her 44 RBIs. Kelly Byrd is also batting .405 (17-for-42) with RISP.
   
• Delta State enters the Gulf South Conference Tournament with a 23-2 record when leading after five innings of play. The Lady Statesmen are 12-2 when leading after five and 11-0 after six.
   
• The Lady Statesmen are 17-4 this season when out hitting their opponents.
   
• Delta State is 13-5 this season when scoring six or more runs in a game. The Lady Statesmen are 8-5 when scoring 6-9 runs in a game and 5-0 when plating 10+ in a contest.
   
• The Lady Statesmen are 11-4 when allowing two or fewer runs in a game, including four shutouts.
           
• Casey Charles, a former All-Gulf South Conference shortstop for the Lady Statesmen from 1999-2002, is entering her 11th season as head coach at Delta State. In her previous 10 seasons, the Lady Statesmen are 284-298 with nine trips to the Gulf South Conference Tournament and a 2014 NCAA South Regional Tournament appearance. She has coached 21 All-GSC selections, four NFCA All-South Region players, and two D2CCA All-Region performers. Off the field, 77 Lady Statesmen have been named to the GSC Academic Honor Roll while five have won the prestigious Charles S. Kerg Senior Athlete of the Year Award at Delta State.