University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Offense Propels Lady Eagle Softball To Sweep Over Alabama State
3/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Files associated with this release:
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
Offense Propels Lady Eagle Softball To Sweep Over Alabama State
HATTIESBURG, Miss. ? Hitting, and a lot of it, was on the menu as the Southern Miss offense came alive in a doubleheader sweep over visiting Alabama State, Thursday, at the Southern Miss Softball Complex.
The Lady Eagles (8-12) took both games via the run-rule, winning the opener 16-5 in five innings and the nightcap 10-0 in five innings. The team combined for 26 runs on 32 hits, with nine doubles, two triples and three home runs on the day, with three players -- Diane Hammes, Sue Logan and Ashley Davis -- leading the way with five hits each.
Freshman pitcher Jessica Saunier (1-2) threw her first career no-hitter in her first career win, allowing just four walks with three strikeouts in the second contest. Sophomore Danielle Wymer (1-4) earned the win in the opening game, scattering six hits and allowing five runs, four earned, with seven strikeouts and two walks.
"We got the two wins that we needed, and we did that in a big way," Southern Miss Head Coach Gay McNutt. "We have been so much on a roller-coaster this season, and we are hoping that these wins will be a boost for us heading into the first conference series (against Saint Louis).
"It was good to see our team come up and start hitting the ball well early tonight. That was the focus from the offensive side of the game."
In the opener, the Lady Eagles scored runs early and often with seven runs in each of the first two innings to take the quick 14-0 lead. After adding two more runs in the third, Southern Miss had all it needed for the run rule win, holding off the late fifth-inning rally from Alabama State. Davis, Ashley Brenan and Heather Bell each went 3-for-4 in the first game, with Davis pushing across a team-high three runs. Jessica Huerta, Hammes and Charity Butler each added a pair of hits.
The team finished with five doubles in the game, matching the school record for doubles in a game, which the Lady Eagles also accomplished against Pittsburgh in 1999. Hammes and Logan also hit home runs in the game, with Logan's blast being the first of her career.
In the second game of the twinbill, Southern Miss kept the offense rolling with 10 runs on 13 hits, scoring in every inning. The Lady Eagles led off with four runs in the first and added two runs each in the second, third and fourth innings. Hammes topped all players, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Davis and Logan both added two hits. Huerta was the lone Lady Eagle with a home run in the nightcap, her first roundtripper of the season.
Megan Karcher (1-9) took the loss in the opening game, while Carey Sloan dropped to 1-6 after taking the loss in game two. Candise Jacobs led the team with two hits and three RBIs. The Hornets committed three errors in each game and fell to 2-15 overall with the losses. Southern Miss had two errors on the day.
The Lady Eagles return to action at home with a weekend series against Conference USA foe Saint Louis, the opening league series for both teams. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader is set for 1 p.m., while Sunday's single game also is scheduled for 1 p.m.
