CLEVELAND, Miss. – An early lead by Delta State was smashed by a 14-run third inning as UWF Softball (20-12, 9-6) run-ruled Delta State (7-26, 3-12) in five innings.
UWF has now beaten DSU in 10 straight series dating back to 2015. Their overall record improves to 36-12 over the Statesmen dating back to 2006.
The Argos are on a six-game win streak and have now swept two straight conference series, with four run-rules over the past two weekends. They have outscored opponents by a combined 66-17 over the last six games. They currently sit at sixth in the GSC standings.
The 14 runs in a single inning are the most by UWF all season. It was propelled by five home runs, two RBI doubles and two RBI singles from the Argos' lineup, with long balls from
Emma Brice,
Madelyn Vasquez,
Brianna Jennings, and two by
Jessica Ford.
Jessica Ford's two home runs in the top of the third is the second time an Argo batter has hit two long balls in the same inning this season, joining
Jessie Baughan who did it on March 10 vs Mississippi College. Ford now accounts for eight total this season.
Emma Brice's third inning home run now gives her 12 this year, and she once again leads the team in that statistic.
Montana Young's streak of shutouts came to an end against the Statesmen Sunday, but the senior did pick up her twelfth win of the year in the effort. Harper came in to relieve Young in the fourth inning.
UWF 16, DSU 8
Delta State hit a two-RBI home run in the first inning to take an early 0-2 lead. UWF tied it up in the top of the second with two RBI doubles by Baughan and
Chelsea Dumas.
Delta hit another of their four home runs on the day in the third, taking a 2-3 lead.
Emma Brice hit a solo home run to tie the game at 3-3, and UWF took over for good after that.
Vasquez bombed a two-RBI homer to left center followed by the Jennings solo home run. Baughan was scored on the first of Ford's two home runs in the third, making it 8-3 Argos and forcing a pitching change for the Statesmen.
The Argos weren't done, as they proceed to put up another eight runs before the inning ended. Back to the top of their order, the Argos scored on an
Emma Brice RBI single and an
Erin Moon RBI double.
Hannah Harper hit a two-RBI single before a Baughan RBI double, and finally Ford's second home run of the inning which brought in three more. The devastating inning finally ended on a pop up, but when the dust settled UWF led 16-3.
Delta State managed to respond by hitting a grand slam and forcing UWF to make a pitching change of their own, subbing in Harper for Young. With the score 16-7 in the fourth, Delta struck one last time on a solo home run to left center. UWF didn't add any run support in the fourth or fifth innings, but didn't need to as a quick few outs came in the bottom of the fifth to secure the run-rule sweep for the Argos at 16-8.
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UWF returns to Pensacola to host GSC foe Shorter for a Friday-Saturday series next weekend.
Keep up on West Florida Softball by following @UWFSoftball on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
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