CLEVELAND, Miss. --- The Mississippi College softball team opens Gulf South Conference play this weekend when they travel to face rival Delta State for a three-game series at University Field. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 3:00 p.m., followed by the series finale Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

THE COACHES
The Lady Choctaws (4-2, 0-0 GSC) are led by 10th-year head coach Brooke O'Hair, who is the winningest skipper in Lady Choctaw history with 243 career victories. She has led MC to four 30-win seasons, three NCAA Regional appearances and two NCCAA World Series.

The Lady Statesmen (7-3, 0-0 GSC) are led by 8th-year head coach Casey Bourgoyne-Charles, racking up a 181-204 mark in her tenure at DSU.

THE SERIES
The two schools have played 68 previous times with MC holding a 37-31 edge in the series. Delta State is 15-12 all-time when the teams play in Cleveland. This will be the first time MC has made the trip to the delta since the Lady Statesmen picked up a doubleheader sweep on April 20, 1996.

LAST TIME OUT
The Lady Choctaws played their first home games of the season on Thursday, picking up a sweep of William Carey in comeback fashion. Shelby Miller's 3-run home run, and Cheyenne Mathews' walk-off single helped MC get 7-6 extra-winning win in the opener. Penny Nichols held the Crusaders to just two second-inning runs in a 4-2 victory in the night cap.

The Lady Statesmen are coming of a 5-1 outing at the Southern Arkansas Tournament in Magnolia last weekend. DSU scored 35 runs over the last four games, wrapping up the proceedings with a 9-8 extra-inning win over Cameron University.

THE MATCHUP
The Lady Choctaws are led at the plate by junior Ty Buckley, who is hitting .538 with a team-high runs scored. She has a 1.077 slugging percentage through six games, collecting two doubles, one triple and one home run.

Kristen Qualls (.400) and Miller (.294) lead the team with eight RBI apiece, while Qualls has a team-high three home runs. Alexia Harmon (.450) has a team-high nine hits, including four in the doubleheader against William Carey on Thursday.

Nichols (2-1) leads the Lady Choctaws with a 1.78 ERA over 19.2 innings pitched. Carlie Sargent (2-1) had to leave with an injury after recording two outs on Thursday against the Crusaders. The Oxford, Ala. native leads the team with 16 strikeouts.

Kaitlin Moore (.417) is DSU's top hitter this season, pacing the tetam with 15 hits, including six doubles. Morgan Kazerooni (.400) leasd the team with 13 RBI, while Madison Zoeller (.367) is also in double-figures with 10 driven in.

Kassidy Tally (.371) has a team-high 12 runs scored, while Moore and Abi Gibson (.394) have scored 10 runs apiece. Tally also leads the team with 12 stolen bases in 13 attempts.

Katie Justice (4-1) has a a team-best 1.82 ERA, tossing five complete games this season. Taylor Johnson (1-2) and Taylor Tucker (2-0) have each pitched at least 16 innings for the Lady Statesmen.