University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Lady Eagles Take Two Against McNeese State
2/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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Lady Eagles Take Two Against McNeese State
HATTIESBURG, Miss. ? The Southern Miss softball team opened its season with a doubleheader sweep over McNeese State, winning game one 2-1 and game two 3-1. The Lady Eagles start off with a 2-0 record, and the Cowgirls drop to 3-5.
Pitchers Melissa Cundiff and Jessica Holaway did the job on the mound, as Cundiff gave up one hit and fanned seven in the opener. Holaway went the distance in the final game, recording nine strikeouts and one earned run.
McNeese State held early leads in both games. The Cowgirls scored in the first inning of game one, when Meghan Novak singled off USM starting pitcher Felicia Gonzales to score Jaime Manuel and give McNeese a 1-0 lead.
Gonzales was relieved by Cundiff after two innings due to a blister on her pitching hand. The senior gave up three hits, one earned run, one walk and one strikeout.
The Lady Eagles took over in the bottom of the second, recording two hits and scoring two runs. Auriel Jenkins scored Tammy Edwards off a sacrifice fly, and Kristie Martin?s single to left allowed Heather Bell to score the go-ahead run.
Game two went scoreless in the first three innings, but Heather Moreaux blasted a solo home run, her second of the season, to put the Cowboys up 1-0 in the fourth.
Southern Miss responded in the bottom of the fifth as Channika Gant belted a two-RBI double down the left field line, scoring Martin and Amanda Brown. Pinch runner Chrissy King added an insurance run in the sixth.
Manuel was the sparkplug for the Cowgirls, as the shortstop ended the night, going three-for-six with a run scored and four stolen bases in both games combined. Novak picked up the loss in the first game, giving up seven hits and two earned runs, and running her pitching record to 1-2. Corrie Hale pitched the nightcap, giving up four hits and two earned runs, while striking out seven and going to 2-3 on the year.
Melanie Hymel went two-for-three in game one, starting the Lady Eagles hits with a triple in the first inning. Martin went two-for-six in the doubleheader with an RBI and a run scored.
Southern Miss travels to Starkville this weekend to compete in Mississippi State?s Bulldog Classic. The Lady Eagles open the tournament, facing Southern Illinois on Friday, Feb. 15 at 11 a.m.
