CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Union University softball team split with Delta State University in final day of series. Union won 10-7 in the first game of the double-header and then lost 8-6 in game two. Union lost 3-2 Friday night to the Lady Statesmen. Union moved to 4-19 overall and 3-12 in the Gulf South Conference. Delta State moved to 16-9 on the season and 9-6 in league play.
Union scored first in all three games of the series.
In the first game Saturday, Union jumped out to the quick 2-0 lead on a 2-RBI double from
Samantha McDaniel. Delta State responded with two runs in the first and five runs in the second to take control 7-2. Union responded with a big top half of the third inning, scoring five times to tie the game. Union used a pair of homers, a 2-run shot from Sara Smith and a 3-run shot from
Tori York. Union took the lead in the fifth on an RBI single from
Alyssa Ward and then added insurance runs in the sixth on a single from
Gabby Morris and an RBI groundout from
Taylor Manley. Manley entered the circle in relief of Morris in the bottom of the second and tossed 5.1 innings of scoreless relief to earn her first win of the season. York led with three RBI in the game, while Ward, Smith, McDaniel, and Morris each led with two hits each.
The final game of the series, Saturday's second game, had Union scoring first again with a run in the second. Union took a 2-0 lead in the third, before DSU tied the game in the bottom of the third. DSU took control with three runs in the fourth and fifth innings to lead 8-2. Union scored four times in the top of the seven to make it interesting, but could not catch the Lady Statesmen. Union outhit DSU 12-7 in the game, but also committed four errors. Smith hit her second home run of the day, while
Grace White also hit a home run. Smith led Union with two RBI. Ward, Smith, Morris, York, and
Ashten Petty each led with two hits each.
In Friday's series opener, Union scored first with a run in the fifth and sixth innings to lead 2-0. However, Delta State scored three times in the bottom of the sixth and held Union scoreless in the seventh to rally for the win. Ward led with two hits in the game.
Up next for Union will be a home GSC series versus Mississippi College, March 27-28.
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