Delta State and West Alabama split a Gulf South Conference softball doubleheader Saturday at University Field. The Lady Statesmen won the first game 5-3, but West Alabama took the second 13-5 in five innings.
In the first game, Delta State used timely hitting and solid pitching to secure the win. Carly Dunigan hit a two-run homer in the first inning to give the Lady Statesmen an early lead. West Alabama responded with solo homers in the fourth and a run in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. Delta State answered back with a tying RBI double from Alyssa Wilson in the fifth and took the lead in the sixth on Kyleigh Wheaton’s double and Maeve Lavoy’s RBI single. Lavoy pitched a complete game, allowing three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts, earning the win.
The Tigers responded aggressively in the second game, scoring five runs in the first inning. ShaKeria Washington homered twice, driving in five RBIs as West Alabama built a 7-2 lead by the second inning. The Tigers added four more runs in the fifth to end the game early via run-rule. Delta State fought to stay in the game; Lavoy drove in two runs in the first inning, and the Lady Statesmen added two more in the third on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly from Ally Agner. Carly Dunigan homered again in the fifth, but West Alabama responded with four runs to close out the game.
Key performers for Delta State included Dunigan, who hit two home runs and drove in two RBIs; Lavoy, who threw a complete game and added three RBIs; Wheaton, who delivered the go-ahead RBI double in game one; and Wilson, who contributed an RBI double. The Lady Statesmen move to 11-18 overall and 5-9 in conference play. They will continue the series against West Alabama on Sunday at 1 p.m. at University Field.
