University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Lady Eagle Softball Falls In Sunday Game To USF
3/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
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Lady Eagle Softball Falls In Sunday Game To USF
TAMPA, Fla. -- Southern Miss fell for the third time in three games to Conference USA foe USF, with a 7-2 loss on Sunday at the USF Softball Field.
The Lady Eagles (14-17, 3-3 in C-USA) finished with two runs on six hits, while the host Bulls, ranked 21st and 22nd respectively in the USA Today/NFCA Poll and the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll, reeled off seven runs on 11 hits to improve to 34-7 overall and 4-2 in league play.
USF pitcher Leigh Ann Ellis (23-4) notched her third win of the weekend with a six-hit, complete game performance that included eight strikeouts and two walks.
For Southern Miss, starter Jessica Saunier (2-4) took the loss after giving up four runs on two hits with three walks in 1.1 innings of work. Danielle Wymer threw 4.2 innings in relief, allowing three runs on nine hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
USF got on the board first with a single run in the bottom of the first inning. Kattrina Dowd led off with an infield single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and then to third on a sacrifice bunt by Shelly Riker. Carmela Liwag then singled to right field, pushing Dowd across for the opening run.
The Lady Eagles evened the score with a run of their own in the next at-bat. Auriel Jenkins legged out a single to start things off and moved to second on a passed ball. Two batters later, Sue Logan connected on a bloop single to right field, putting runners on the corners. Following another passed ball, Jenkins crossed for Southern Miss, knotting the score at one run each.
Just as quickly however, USF regained the lead in the bottom of the second. The hosts took advantage of a hit by pitch and two walks, as well as back to back singles off Saunier and Wymer, to score three runs and take the 4-1 advantage.
The Bulls added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth inning after Holly Grove hit a hard single through the right side to score Liwag -- who had earlier reached on a double -- making the score 5-1.
Southern Miss chipped at the lead with a single run in the top of the fifth inning when Sarah Boyd hit a two-out single deep to the shortstop to score Jessica Huerta.
USF all but put it away though in the sixth frame, courtesy of Dowd's two-run home run to left center, ending the scoring in the game.
Jenkins led the Lady Eagles with a 2-for-2 performance, while also scoring one of the team's two runs. Boyd picked up the lone RBI.
For the Bulls, Liwag finished with four hits and two RBIs, while Dowd chipped in with a pair of hits, two RBIs and two runs scored.
The Lady Eagles return home to host intrastate foe Mississippi State in a single-game, Wednesday, at the Southern Miss Softball Complex. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
