Lady Eagles Fall in NCAA Regional First Round, 5-1
5/17/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Lady Eagles Fall in NCAA Regional First Round, 5-1
BATON ROUGE, La. - The Southern Miss softball team, seeded No. 4, struggled in its first round game of the NCAA Region III tournament, losing to No. 3-seed Louisiana-Lafayette, 5-1. The Lady Eagles will play at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 18, against the winner of tonight's 7 p.m. game, featuring Penn State and the loser of the LSU-Cornell game.
Cajun pitcher Melissa Coronado (34-7) gave up three hits, one walk and one unearned run, while striking out eight Lady Eagles. ULL's centerfielder Jerie Alexander went three-for-four with two runs scored, and designated player Tiffany Grayson hit a perfect two-for-two.
Southern Miss (46-20) got on the scoreboard first in the top of the second when Heather Bell crossed the plate after an errant throw by shortstop Alana Addison. The Lady Eagles had the bases loaded, in the second, with one out, but the Lady Cajuns (50-8) sat down Amanda Brown, who popped up to third base, and Robbi Roberson, who struck out. For the game, Southern Miss stranded eight runners on the bases.
Lafayette tied the game when Jana Mower hit a solo home run to right center field in the bottom of the second. Missy Martin gave the Lady Cajuns a 3-1 lead with her two-RBI double in the third, scoring Alexander and Addison.
Alexander raised ULL's lead to 4-1 when she scored on Melanie McMains' throwing error. The Lady Cajuns scored their final run in the sixth when Heather Bertrand came home on Addison's sacrifice fly.
Felicia Gonzales (29-10) went the distance for Southern Miss, giving up eight hits and four walks. Four of the runs she gave up were earned, and she fanned eight.