University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Lady Eagles Split With Louisiana Monroe On Opening Day
2/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Files associated with this release:
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
Lady Eagles Split With Louisiana Monroe On Opening Day
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The Southern Miss softball team split Wednesday's opening doubleheader with Louisiana-Monroe at the Southern Miss Softball Complex.
The Lady Eagles (1-1) struggled from the plate in the opening game and dropped a six-inning, 8-0 decision, but then rallied in the nightcap for a 7-0 victory over the Lady Indians (1-1).
Sophomore Ashley Davis had a big day at the plate, going a perfect 4-for-4 in the doubleheader, including a grand-slam home run in the nightcap. Auriel Jenkins and Erica King both finished with two hits in the series.
The opening game started off well for Southern Miss as senior pitcher Jessica Holaway faced the minimum through three innings of play. But it was in the fourth frame where UL Monroe seemed to find the answer to Holaway's pitching.
In the inning, the Lady Indians rallied off four runs on five hits, all singles, and took advantage of one Southern Miss error to take the 4-0 lead. UL Monroe then added one run in the fifth and three runs in the sixth to take a decisive 8-0 lead over the struggling Lady Eagles.
Southern Miss managed just three hits in the first five innings of play and stranded four runners in the span. The scene continued in the sixth inning, with the Lady Eagles stranding two more runners, ending the game by virtue of the run-rule after six innings.
Holaway (0-1) took the loss in the opener, allowing five runs, four earned, on six hits in 4.0 innings. She also had two strikeouts and two walks. Sophomore Danielle Wymer pitched the final two frames, giving up three runs, two earned, on four hits.
Davis led the Lady Eagles with two hits, including a double, in the opening game, while Ashley Brenan also had a hit.
For UL Monroe, Kristin Baker, Courtney Tuggle and Heather Williams all had two hits. Nicole Bethurum (1-0) picked up the win, scattering three hits in six innings of shutout work. She also had four strikeouts and three walks.
It was a different story, though, in the second game of the twinbill. The Southern Miss offense that was absent in the opener suddenly came alive in round two, finishing the game with seven hits in all.
After a scoreless three-and-a-half-innings, the Lady Eagles opened things up with a four-spot in the bottom of the fourth. Jessica Huerta drew a leadoff walk and advanced to batters later on Jenkins' single to center field. Sarah Boyd then drew another walk to load the bases, setting the scene for Davis' mammoth grand-slam over left field.
The Lady Eagles tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the sixth, benefitting from a two-run double by Wymer and an RBI-single by King.
Senior pitcher Danielle Hatfield (1-0) threw a masterful performance in the contest, scattering three hits in the complete-game shutout. Hatfield also finished with seven strikeouts and just one walk.
Sarah Freeman (0-1) took the loss for UL Monroe in game two, giving up four runs on two hits in 3.1 innings of work. Bethurum came in to pitch the final 2.2 innings, giving up three runs on five hits. Baker, Bethurum and Leslie Venissat all had singles for the Lady Indians.
Southern Miss now waits a week before playing its second series of the year. The Lady Eagles host Nicholls State in a doubleheader scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 11, at the Southern Miss Softball Complex.
