University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Lady Eagles Split Again
3/2/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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Lady Eagles Split Again
Heather Bell went 4-for-8 in today's games with a game-winning home run against Eastern Michigan |
Heather Bell blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning and made the difference over Eastern Michigan. With the game tied, 3-3, Bell took a 2-1 pitch and sent it flying over left centerfield, scoring Channika Gant and Tammy Edwards.
Bell finished game one, hitting two-for-four, with a run scored and three RBIs. Gant hit a perfect four-for-four, with two runs and an RBI.
EMU scored first, in the top of the second, when Genny Hann sneaked home on an unorthodox play, when Deanna Wisnieski, who reached on a fielder?s choice, got caught between first and second. The Eagles scored again in the third, when Kristen Zabalavicius scored Lauren Allen off a ground out to Gant at shortstop.
Southern Miss got on the board in the third, when Edwards singled to score Kristie Martin. The Lady Eagles tied the game, 2-2, in the fourth off Melanie Hymel?s sacrifice fly that scored Laura Davis.
Both teams added solo homers in the fifth, as Allen stroked the ball over left field, and Gant led off with her tying blast.
Jessica Holaway relieved starting pitcher Melissa Cundiff in the fifth. Cundiff went four and two-thirds innings, giving up two earned runs off five hits and finishing with three strikeouts and one walk. Holaway got the win, going hitless in two and a third innings, with one walk and four strikeouts.
Game two was a marathon between Hawaii and the Lady Eagles. Both teams scored two runs in the first, and nobody scored for the next eight innings.
Amanda Brown scored first off an error by the catcher, who tried to throw her out while stealing third, but throw went to left field. Edwards came up, two batters later, and collected her second home run of the season.
Kate Judd, who was responsible for knocking in all three runs, tied the game in the bottom of the first with a two-run blast.
Felicia Gonzales started the game, but Holaway (4-3) relieved the senior in the sixth, receiving the loss. Gonzales gave up two runs off six hits and six walks, striking out only one batter. Holaway went four innings, gave up an unearned run off two hits, with a walk and four strikeouts.
Southern Miss (8-9) came close to scoring the go-ahead run on two occasions in extra innings. Auriel Jenkins made a dash for home off Hymel?s ground out to first base in the eighth, but a throw to the plate got Jenkins out. Bell singled up the middle in the ninth, and pinch runner Chrissy King attempted to score from second, but a throw from centerfield halted the endeavor.
The game came to a close when Judd doubled home Stacie Hirano in the bottom of the 10th. Judd ended the game, hitting two-for-four, with a run and three RBIs.
Brown hit two-for-three, and Bell was two-for-four in game two, four-for-eight in both games combined.
Southern Miss ends the Hillenbrand Invitational on Sunday, March 3, with a noon (Central Standard Time) game against Evansville.
