GAME NOTES
CLEVELAND, Miss.- The Delta State University softball team is set top open up the 2020 campaign for the fourth straight year in Gulf Shores, Ala. The Lady Statesmen will play in six games against teams from four different conferences. Last season at the Gulf Shores Invitational, DSU went 5-1 to start the season. In the three years previous years at the tough invitational the Green and White have gone 10-8. Last year the Lady Statesmen ended the season with a 22-25 record.
PRESEASON RANKINGS: Delta State was selected to finish in 11th in the GSC Preseason Poll. The defending champions the University of West Florida received 10 first place votes and was selected as the favorite in the conference.
The perennial powerhouse the University of Alabama in Huntsville received two first place votes and came in second. Newly eligible for post-season play Auburn Montgomery received one first place vote and finished in third in the voting total. Mississippi College and Valdosta State rounded out the top five.
NEWCOMERS LIST: The Lady Statesmen had two named to the top newcomers list as well. The first was junior transfer Olivia Burns from Coffeeville, Miss. Burns comes from Itawamba CC. She set the all-time wins record (46), strikeouts (273), ERA (1.74) and single season wins with 27. while at ICC. The second was freshman newcomer was Jaclyn Deason from Longville, LA who played softball at South Beauregard HS and was named to the Louisiana Class 3A First Team last year. For her career, she was .447 hitter, along with over 150 RBIs and over 15 .home runs. She also had over 20 wins as a pitcher.
OPENING WEEKEND OPPONENTS: The Lady Statesmen will take on six opponents to start the 2020 season.
On Friday, January 31, they will take on Florida Tech and Drury. Last year FIT went 42-12 and made it all the way to the NCAA Super Regionals before falling to UWF. They were picked to finish second in the preseason Sunshine State Conference poll. Drury set a program record last year with 36 wins and only 20 losses. They won their first ever Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament games.
On Saturday, February 1, the Lady Statesmen will play Rollins College and Rogers State. The Tars of Rollins were picked to win the SSC this year after finishing last season with a 38-11 record. Last year, Rogers State went 33-23 and lost their first two games in the Heartland Conference Tournament. This year they have changed to the MIAA conference.
On Sunday, February 2, DSU will play Nova Southeastern and Tuskegee. The Sharks of NSU had their first 30 win season since 2014 last year finishing at 30-20. They were picked to finish 6th in the SSC preaseason poll. Tuskegee went 19-26 last season and made it all to the way to the SIAC Championship game before falling to Spring Hill 3-1.
YOUTH ABOUNDS ON LADY STATESMEN: The Green and White this year features seven freshman who are all expected to contribute immediately. Three freshman are from Louisiana this season. They are #4 Karlie Stine, #10 Jaclyn Deason, and #23 Jenny Griggers. Two arrived from Tennessee; #1 Alyssa Gover and #15 Haley Simpson. One freshman is from Alabama in #17 Mary "MC" Sweatt, and the final freshman is from Southaven, Mississippi in #7 Callie Newman.
IN THE CIRCLE: Delta State features a couple of returners and two new faces to pitch this season. Mari Alex Sandridge and Emily Baker are both back for their senior seasons, with Freshman Jenny Griggers and junior college transfer Olivia Burns who comes from Itawamba CC. She set the all-time wins record (46), strikeouts (273), ERA (1.74) and single season wins with 27. while at ICC.
EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD: Delta State returns two infielders that played in almost every game last year. Sophomore Taylor Picou who was second on the team in assists with 67 last year is back and junior Kailyn Lofton who was third with 82 putouts is back as well. Olivia Dick is back in the outfield for her senior season. She appeared in 43 games with 39 starts and finished the season with a .221 batting average with three doubles, and three RBIs.
