University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Lady Eagles Compete in Bulldog Classic
2/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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Lady Eagles Compete in Bulldog Classic
The Southern Miss softball team has started off the season with a 2-0 record, after beating McNeese State, 2-1 and 3-1, in a season-opening doubleheader. The Lady Eagles travel this weekend to Starkville, Miss., to compete in Mississippi State?s Bulldog Classic on Friday, Feb. 15, and Saturday, Feb. 16.
Southern Illinois (0-0) will be the Lady Eagles? first opponent on Friday morning at 11 a.m. Southern Miss will then take on Colorado State (1-4) at 5 p.m. On Saturday, tourney-host Mississippi State (6-1) will face USM at noon, and then another battle against the CSU Rams at 2 p.m., will close out the Lady Eagle?s weekend schedule.
Southern Illinois opens its season this weekend. The Salukis went 36-19 last season and feature a young team this year, with six freshmen coming aboard to help fill the void left by six graduating seniors.
Colorado State started its season last weekend with an appearance at the Mustang Round-Up Tournament at Cal Poly. The Rams collected one win and four losses.
Melanie Mahoney is CSU?s leading hitter, stroking a .500 average (5-for-10), with two doubles in her five game appearances. Pitcher Mare Christensen picked up the win against Southwest Missouri State. She is 1-1 on the year, with a 1.93 ERA and 13 strikeouts.
Mississippi State is off to its best start in program?s history with a 6-0 record heading into the weekend?s tournament. Among their early accomplishments include a 7-1 win over national-champion Arizona.
Jennifer Nelson leads the Bulldogs with an .889 batting average (eight-for-nine). She was perfect at the plate (five-for-five) in MSU?s doubleheader against Belmont. Nelson pitched five innings in the nightcap, giving up only two hits, while fanning five.
Southern Miss will be relying on its pitching staff to lead them this weekend. Melissa Cundiff gave up only one hit and no runs, while striking out seven, in her five-inning performance last Tuesday night against McNeese State.
Newcomer Jessica Holaway, who transferred from Northwestern State, La., went the distance in the nightcap against the Cowgirls, giving up five hits and one run, while fanning nine.
Conference USA Pitcher of the Year Felicia Gonzales will also be counted on this weekend. The senior pitched only two innings in the season opener and was relieved after a experiencing a blister on her pitching hand.
Sophomore Melanie Hymel leads the team in batting with a .500 average. She is two-for-four with a triple in the first two games. Channika Gant owns a .400 average (two-for-five) and produced a two-RBI double in game two against McNeese State.
