Softball To Play In Mardi Gras Classic

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Mardi Gras Classic Notes

Softball To Play In Mardi Gras Classic
HATTIESBURG, Miss.? The Lady Eagle softball team will be one of five teams participating in the Mardi Gras Classic, hosted by Louisiana-Monroe this weekend.

Southern Miss will play two games on Friday and Saturday, taking on Louisiana-Monroe and San Jose State Friday at 4 p.m., and 6 p.m., respectively, and will meet Louisiana Tech and Conference USA rival Louisville on Saturday at 9 a.m., and 4 p.m. respectively. On Sunday, the championship rounds will take place, with the fourth and fifth place teams at 9:30 a.m., the second and third place teams at 11:30 a.m., and the winner of the 11:30 a.m., game against the top team in the tournament.

Southern Miss (5-3) hits .304 as a team, including 52 runs, 63 hits, 16 doubles, one triple, three home runs, 45 RBIs and 17 stolen bases.

Jessica Huerta leads the team with a .378 batting average, four doubles, one triple and 10 RBIs. Diane Hammes ranks second on the team with a .462 average, and has team highs with 12 hits, 18 total bases and seven stolen bases. Huerta, Hammes and Allison Bullard are tied for the team lead with seven runs. Hammes, Jennifer Fox and Bullard each have one home run on the season.

The Lady Eagle pitching staff has an ERA of 5.69, with 55 hits, 33 runs, 31 earned, 20 walks, 34 strikeouts and holds opponents to a .279 batting average.

Freshman Krystal Crooks leads the team with a 3-0 record, and is coming off her first career shutout against Louisiana-Monroe, in her first career start. Crooks has a 3.33 ERA in seven appearances, and has combined with Danielle Wymer and Jessica Saunier to record shutouts. She has pitched a team-high 27 innings, with 20 hits, 11 runs, 10 earned, six walks, 14 strikeouts and holds opponents to a .200 batting average. Wymer has a staff best 15 strikeouts.

Southern Miss will face Louisiana-Monroe (5-5) in its first game of the tournament on Friday. The Lady Eagles will face the Lady Indians for the third time in a span of three days, as they split a doubleheader on Feb. 15. This will be the 32nd meeting between the two teams, with the Lady Indians holding a 20-11 series advantage. Louisiana-Monroe hits .235 as a team, with 61 hits, 41 runs, 10 doubles, three home runs, nine stolen bases and 37 RBIs. Lindsay Taylor leads the team with a .355 batting average and 11 hits, and is also tied for the team lead with two doubles. The pitching staff has an ERA of 4.45, and has allowed 87 hits, 54 runs, 42 earned, 41 strikeouts and holds opponents to a .304 batting average. Danielle Lahr leads the staff with a 3.27 ERA and 3-1 record, including two complete games. The Lady Indians defeated then No. 22 ranked Illinois 8-5 on Feb. 5.

The Lady Eagles will meet San Jose State (2-5) for the first time in school history, following the Louisiana-Monroe game at 6 p.m. The Lady Spartans enter the tournament with a 2-5 record, with three losses coming against ranked opponents, including a 6-0 defeat to No. 1 California. San Jose State has a .210 team batting average, with 17 runs, 37 hits, eight doubles and 15 RBIs. Lindsey Allen leads the team with a .278 batting average, with five hits and four RBIs. The Lady Spartans' pitching staff has a 3.72 ERA, allowing 48 hits, 29 runs, 25 earned, 13 walks, 30 strikeouts and limits opponents to a .251 batting average. Carol Forbes has a staff best 3.18 ERA and a 1-4 record in 33 innings of work.

On Saturday, Southern Miss faces Louisiana Tech (5-6) at 9 a.m. The Lady Techsters enter the tournament with a 5-6 record. This will be the 19th meeting between the two teams, with Louisiana Tech holding a 10-8 series advantage. Since the softball program was reinstated in 1999, Southern Miss has won six of the last seven meetings. The Lady Techsters hit .274 as a team, with 50 runs, 82 hits, 16 doubles, 10 home runs, 18 stolen bases and 40 RBIs. Regan Clark leads the team with a .382 batting average, while Ashley Cameron has a team-high four home runs and 12 RBIs. The pitching staff has an ERA of 4.82, with 85 hits, 47 runs, 38 earned, 16 walks, 65 strikeouts and holds opponents to a .292 batting average. Lindsey Meadows leads the staff with a 4.58 ERA and 2-3 record, with four complete games and a shutout.

Southern Miss will face Conference USA rival Louisville (4-5) in a 4 p.m. game Saturday. This will be the 21st meeting between the two teams, with Southern Miss holding a 15-5 series advantage. The Lady Eagles swept the Lady Cardinals last season in Hattiesburg, to clinch the Conference USA regular-season championship. Louisville enters the tournament with a 4-5 record with wins over then No. 4 ranked Oklahoma and No. 17 ranked Oregon State. Three of the Lady Cardinals losses came to ranked teams. Louisville hits .272 as a team, with 35 runs, 69 hits, 10 doubles, 10 home runs, seven stolen bases and 32 RBIs. Courtney Moore leads the team with a .464 batting average, including a team-best 13 hits and eight runs. Sara Basher has a team-best three home runs, while Michelle Vasques leads the squad with eight RBIs. Louisville's pitching staff has a 1.81 ERA, with 46 hits, 29 runs, 16 earned, 34 walks, 56 strikeouts and holds opponents to a .204 batting average. Catherine Bishop leads the staff with a 1.06 ERA and 3-1 record, with four complete games. She has allowed only 20 hits in 33 innings of work, while striking out 31, walking 16 and holding opponents to a .167 batting average. Conference USA preseason pitcher of the year Aja Sherman has a 2.66 ERA and 1-4 record with a shutout.

Following the Mardi Gras Classic, Southern Miss will host Southeastern Louisiana on Feb. 23, in a 6 p.m. contest.

University of Southern Mississippi Athletics

Softball To Play In Mardi Gras Classic

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