University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Softball To Open Season In Hawaii Paradise Classic
2/8/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 8, 2006
HONOLULU, Hawaii - The Southern Miss Lady Eagle softball team opens its 2006 season on Thursday in the Hawaii Paradise Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The games will be broadcasted via the internet on the Southern Miss ISP Sports Network, with Softball SID Jared Florreich calling the action. Log on to SouthernMiss.com or yahoosports to hear the broadcast.
Southern Miss left Hattiesburg for New Orleans at 3:30 a.m., on Tuesday, and arrived in Honolulu shortly after 2 p.m., 6 p.m., Central Standard Time.
The Lady Eagles face No. 25 BYU at 2 p.m., in the first game of the Hawaii Paradise Classic on Thursday, before facing Texas State at 6 p.m., that evening.
Southern Miss finished 29-32 in 2005, winning 10 of its final 14 games to close out the season. The Lady Eagles were picked No. 4 in the preseason Conference USA softball poll, according to voting by the league's coaches.
The Lady Eagles return seven position starters and 10 letterwinners in 2006. The team hit .271 last season, with 408 hits, 262 runs, 71 doubles, six triples, 30 home runs and 224 RBI, while stealing 90 bases in 117 attempts.
Senior first first baseman Ashley Davis, a 2005 All-Conference USA selection and a 2006 Conference USA Player to Watch, led the team with nine home runs and 42 RBI last year, and led Conference USA in league games with 25 RBI, posting a .319 batting average.
Senior shortstop Jessica Huerta, a 2006 Conference USA Player to Watch, led the team in batting average (.343), hits (60), runs (42), doubles (14), triples (three), walks (25) and stolen bases (25) last season. Senior second baseman Charity Butler finished second on the team with a .323 batting average, while senior third baseman Ashley Brenan, who hit .259 in 2005, also return.
In addition, 2005 Conference USA All-Freshmen Jennifer Fox and Allison Bullard return, as both hit .259 in their debut seasons. Fox, the team's starting leftfielder returns five home runs, the second most on the team, while Bullard, the starting centerfielder returns eight doubles, which tied for the third highest on the squad.
In the circle, Southern Miss posted a 3.60 ERA, 36 complete games and 12 shutouts in 2005. The unit struck out 219 and opponents hit .271 against it last season.
Senior Danielle Wymer led the team with 130 strikeouts in 2005, as she won a career-best 12 games. Sophomore Krystal Crooks returns a team-best 14-12 record and 2.92 ERA.
On Thursday, Southern Miss and BYU will meet for the first time in school history. The Cougars finished with a 45-14 record in 2005, and advanced to NCAA Regionals. BYU returns nine starters and 12 letterwinners to the 2006 team. The Cougars were picked by the Mountain West Conference coaches to win the league title in 2006.
BYU hit .309 as a team in 2005, with 477 hits, 347 runs, 79 doubles, 68 home runs and 318 RBI, also stealing 43 bases in 57 attempts.
The Cougars are led by 2005 Easton Second-Team All-American senior first baseman Laneta Lei, also a first-team All-Mountain West selection. She led the squad with 53 RBI and 27 walks, and raked second with 10 home runs. Senior catcher Paige Paramore returns a team-best .348 batting average, while tying for the team-lead with junior shortstop Jill Norton in doubles (13).
In the circle, BYU posted a 2.24 team ERA, with 27 complete games and 12 shutouts. The staff registered 243 strikeouts and limited opponents to a .256 batting average.
Senior Summer Tobias returns a team-best 19-7 record, 17 complete games and five shutouts in 2005. She struck out 115 and opponents hit .219 against her in 2005.
Texas State and Southern Miss will also meet for the first time in school history. The Bobcats finished 26-27 in 2005, and return five starters and nine letterwinners this season, and is picked to finish third in the Southland Conference in 2006.
The Bobcats hit .234 as a team in 2005, with 327 hits, 180 runs, 56 doubles, 29 home runs, 150 RBI, and 51 stolen bases in 61 attempts.
Senior outfielder Amy Hromadka, a preseason 2006 All-Southland Conference selection, returns a team-high 48 hits, five doubles and 30 runs.
In the circle, the team posted a 2.72 ERA, with 26 complete games and 11 shutouts. The staff posted 419 strikeouts in 2005, and opponents hit .233 against them.
Senior pitcher Katie Ann Trahan, a 2006 All-Southland Conference selection as a utility and pitcher returns a 22-18 record and 353 strikeouts this season. She also returns a team-high .295 batting average and seven home runs in 2006.
On Friday, the Lady Eagles face Texas-Arlington at 6 p.m., before facing tournament host Hawaii at 10 p.m. It will be the second meeting in school history with Texas Arlington, with Southern Miss holding a 1-0 series advantage. The Lady Eagles defeated Texas Arlington 5-0 at the 2000 Mardi Gras Classic in Monroe, La. It will also be the second meeting against Hawaii, with the tournament hosts holding a 1-0 series advantage, claiming a 3-2 victory in the 2002 Hildenbrand Invitational in Tuscon, Ariz.
Texas Arlinton finished 17-26 in 2005, and return nine starters, including four pitchers and 16 letterwinners this season. The team is picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll released by the Southland Conference.
The Mavericks hit .237 as a team last year, with 256 hits, 120 runs, five home runs and 104 RBI, while stealing 34-of-46 bases.
Senior outfielder Autumn Petrino, a preseason All-Southland Conference selection, returns a team-high .320 batting average and 39 hits in 2006, while junior infielder Dee Jay Nelson returns a team-high 22 RBI.
In the circle, the team posted a 3.76 ERA, with 21 complete games and seven shutouts. The staff struck out 212, and opponents hit .284 against them.
Senior Jill Garro returns a 12-14 record, 2.72 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 2006.
Hawaii finished with a 31-21 record in 2005, and returns four starters, two pitchers and eight letterwinners to the team in 2006. Hawaii is picked to finish second in the Western Athletic Conference in 2006.
Hawaii hit .286 as a team in 2005, with 385 hits, 212 runs, 53 doubles, 11 triples, 14 home runs, 171 RBI and 75 stolen bases in 89 attempts.
Junior Tyleen Tausaga, a 2006 preseason All-WAC selection, returns a team-high .319 batting average, 54 hits, 10 doubles, four home runs and 33 RBI in 2006.
In the circle, Hawaii posted a 2.01 ERA, with 31 complete games and 10 shutouts. The unit recorded 218 strikeouts and opponents hit .255 against it last season.
Sophomore Kate Robinson returns a team-best 1.18 ERA and 4-2 record in 2006.
On Saturday, Southern Miss faces Loyola-Marymount at 9 p.m., in the first meeting between the two schools.
Loyola-Marymount finished 34-20 in 2005 and advanced to NCAA Regionals. The team returns four starters and seven letterwinners in 2006.
The Lions hit .269 as a team in 2005, with 216 hits, 384 runs, 52 doubles, seven triples, 53 home runs, 205 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 33 attempts.
Junior second baseman Margo Pineda returns a team-high .351 batting average, 59 hits, seven home runs and nine doubles.
In the circle, the team posted a 2.01 ERA, with 29 complete games and 16 shutouts. The unit struck out 221, while holding opponents to a .242 batting average.
Sophomore Tiffany Pagano returns a team-best 1.86 ERA, 14-8 record and 114 strikeouts in 2006.
The tournament concludes on Sunday, with the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds meeting at 1 p.m., with the winner of that game meeting the No. 1 seed at 3 p.m. The No. 2 and No. 3 seeds meet at 5 p.m., with the winner of that game facing the winner of game two in the championship at 9 p.m.
Following the Hawaii Paradise Classic, Southern Miss returns home for its home opener, Feb. 15 against Jackson State in a 6 p.m., contest.
