University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Dramatic Ending Allows Lady Eagles to Sweep ECU
4/27/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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Dramatic Ending Allows Lady Eagles to Sweep ECU
Ashley Davis was 3-for-4 in the final game against East Carolina. In the three games against ECU, the freshman hit 7-for-10 with three doubles and a run against the Pirates. |
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning and Sarah Boyd on third base, Ashley Brenan shot a hard grounder within the reach of ECU shortstop Christine Sheridan who hurriedly threw over to Kate Manuse at first base. Manuse stretched out to make the catch, but she dropped the ball, as Brenan dove to the bag and Boyd crossed the plate for the winning run.
Boyd started the seventh with a single up the middle. Ashley Davis followed with a single to right center, advancing Boyd to third and picking up her third hit of the game. Davis was 3-for-4 at the plate, producing her 10th double of the season, and the freshman ended the weekend batting 7-for-10 with a run scored and three doubles in the three-game series.
East Carolina (20-30, 2-19) knotted the game in the top of the seventh, 3-3, scoring two runs in the frame. With two outs and runners on second and third, Sheridan placed a dribbling grounder to Brenan at third, who hesitated and threw to second, attempting to get Lara Brickhouse diving back to the bag. The throw went to the outfield, and Dany?ele Hill and Brickhouse came home on the miscue.
Southern Miss (25-26, 10-11) went ahead in the fourth inning, 3-1, when Heather Bell smashed a two-run home run beyond centerfield, scoring pinch runner Diane Hammes on the play. Bell hit 2-for-3 today and batted 5-for-7 for the series, with two runs, two home runs and four RBIs.
The Pirates tied the game, 1-1, in the third inning, when Lacassa Hill?s single to right field was mishandled by Bell, and Hill advanced to third, while Brickhouse scored on the play. Brickhouse ended the game, batting 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles.
The Lady Eagles got on the board in the second inning, as pinch runner Erica King came to the plate on a throwing error by Sheridan who attempted to get Jessica Huerta at first.
Jessica Holaway picked up the win and improved to 13-14. It was her third win of the week, as the junior collected a pair of shutouts, including a 5-0 victory over the Pirates yesterday. Holaway pitched one inning and struck out on batter.
USM starting pitcher Danielle Wymer pitched six innings for no decision. The freshman surrendered seven hits, three unearned runs and three walks and collected one strikeout before Holaway came in relief in the seventh inning, with two Pirates on base.
Brently Bridgeforth (9-12) received her second loss of the weekend. She went 6.2 innings and recorded nine hits two earned runs, four walks and one strikeout.
Collecting the three wins in the series, Southern Miss remains in the race for a bid to the Conference USA Tournament (May 8-10). The Lady Eagles are one game ahead of UAB, as the Blazers swept three games over Charlotte this weekend and hold a 9-12 league record.
Louisville is 12-8 in the conference standings and appears to have clinched an opportunity to advance to the tournament, currently holding fourth place, after taking two-out-of-three games against Houston this weekend. DePaul, South Florida and Houston have clinched positions in the conference tournament.
Saint Louis was idle this weekend and competes in its final regular-season conference series at East Carolina next weekend. The Billikens are a half a game behind Southern Miss in the standings at 9-11.
Southern Miss will be battling UAB in the three-game series on May 3-4, as well as keeping its eye on the Saint Louis-East Carolina series, in order to clinch one of the two remaining positions of the league tournament?s field.
The Lady Eagles start the week with an appearance in Baton Rouge, taking on LSU on Tuesday, April 29, in a single game starting at 6:30 p.m.
