Lady Eagles Get Third Win Over Louisville
5/6/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Lady Eagles Get Third Win Over Louisville
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss softball team ended its regular season with a 4-3 victory and a three-game sweep over Louisville. Melissa Cundiff came on in relief and pitched the final four innings to get the win.
Tammy Edwards hit one-for-two, in the game, with a run scored and two runs batted in. She collected both RBIs in the bottom of the fifth inning on her game-winning single up the middle.
Louisville grabbed an early lead when Coleen Coughlin scored on Keola Calderon's double in the first. Nikki Gaudio cracked her second homer of the series, a solo shot to left, and gave the Cardinals a 2-0 advantage in the second.
Starter Felicia Gonzales went three innings and was pulled in the top of the fourth, after giving up her fourth hit in the game, to Candi Padilla. She struck out three and was responsible for two runs.
Cundiff (16-9) was called to the circle and gave up only one hit and no walks. The freshman had UL's number this weekend as she shutout the Cardinals yesterday.
Southern Miss started its scoring in the bottom of the fourth when Channika Gant doubled to left field and plated Edwards. Kenya Peters advanced to third on the play, and then reached home on a wild pitch, knotting the score 2-2.
Louisville regained the lead in the top of the fifth, as Coughlin added her second run of the game off a dropped line drive by Gant. Kenzie Meisenburg lined the ball to Gant at shortstop, but Gant could not squeeze it.
Edwards came up in the bottom of the fifth and scored Kristie Martin and Amanda Brown on her grounder over second base, giving USM the necessary runs for the win.
Both Coughlin and Calderon ended the game hitting two-for-three to lead the Cardinals. Coughlin scored two runs, while Calderon added her 18th double on the year and an RBI.
Mandy Rockwell (7-7) came in to pitch in the fifth, faced two batters and picked up the loss. Tara McClure was the starter, pitching four innings and giving up two runs and three walks, while striking out three. Jessica Rak tossed the last two innings and gave up only one hit.
Southern Miss (42-18 overall, 15-6 in Conference USA) and Louisville (37-24, 12-9) will now compete in the C-USA tournament, May 10-12, in Louisville, Ky. DePaul beat South Florida, 2-0, today, so DePaul claims the number-one seed, the Lady Eagle are the second seed, South Florida is the third seed, and Louisville will be seeded fourth.
IF: Melissa Jacobo, Louisville