University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Lady Eagles Start Season, Hosting McNeese State
2/11/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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Lady Eagles Start Season, Hosting McNeese State
The Southern Miss softball team kicks off the 2002 season with a doubleheader against McNeese State at Timberton Park, on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 5 p.m.
The Lady Eagles start the season at home for the first time since 1992, and the doubleheader against McNeese State is one of 16 home dates featured on the schedule, the most in school history.
The series against MSU dates back to 1989, when the Lady Eagles defeated the Cowgirls, 5-2. Overall, Southern Miss leads the series, 9-3, including a doubleheader sweep last season, 8-3 and 3-1.
McNeese State has started the season, 2-0, winning both games of a doubleheader against Centenary, 7-1 and 3-1. Jaime Manuel is the leading hitter for the Cowgirls, with a .571 batting average (5-for-7, with three runs and a triple). Pitcher Corrie Hale fanned 13 when she faced Centenary, giving up no earned runs.
Ten letterwinners and nine starters return on the Lady Eagles roster, and eight newcomers provide Southern Miss added depth, increasing last year?s team total from 13 players to 18.
Four all-conference performers are back, including Conference USA Pitcher of the Year, Felicia Gonzales, first-team members Tammy Edwards and Channika Gant and second-team member Amanda Brown.
Edwards and Gonzales also made the C-USA Preseason All-League Team. Southern Miss was also projected to finish second behind DePaul in conference standings.
