Southern Miss
Marshall (DH) *
Softball Opens Conference USA Action With Two Wins
3/11/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 11, 2006
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -
Marshall-Southern Miss Game One Box
Marshall-Southern Miss Game Two Box
The Southern Miss softball team got off to a strong start in Conference USA today, sweeping a doubleheader against Marshall, winning game one, 3-2, in 12 innings and 2-1 in game two.
With the wins, Southern Miss gets back to .500 on the season, improving to 15-15 overall, 2-0 in Conference USA. Marshall falls to 11-11, 0-2 in league play.
In game one, Marshall threatened in the opening frame, as a Rachel Folden single got Jennifer Williams, on base on a fielding error by Lady Eagle second baseman Charity Butler, to third. But Williams would be stranded there, as Lady Eagle starter Lacey Gros got the next batter, Samantha Rodriguez to line into a double play.
Southern Miss threatened in the third, as Butler doubled with one out, but she was then caught stealing at third.
Marshall got its two runs in the sixth, as Williams doubled with one out, before advancing to third on a wild pitch by Gros, which allowed Folden to reach first. Rodriguez then scored Williams on an RBI groundout, before a single by Deanna Tourville scored Folden, giving the Thundering Herd a 2-0 lead.
But Southern Miss answered Marshall's two runs in the bottom of the sixth, as Jennifer Fox connected on her fourth homerun of the season to left, making the score 2-1. Allison Bullard followed with a walk and following a pitching change, Bullard stole second, before pinch hitter Krystal Crooks walked. Melissa Prouty then bunted a ball right in front of the plate, resulting in a throwing error by Thundering Herd first baseman Sara Spenia, allowing Bullard to score, knotting the game at 2-2.
From there, the game went into extra innings, with neither team threatening until Southern Miss won the game in the 12th. With one out, Bullard reached on a fielding error by Herd third baseman Leigh Wintter, before Jessica Huerta was hit by a pitch. Kristin Pilgrim then singled up the middle, advancing Bullard to third. Crooks then connected on the game winning hit, an RBI single up the middle, to give the Lady Eagles a 3-2 victory, as the game lasted three hours and 20 minutes, the longest game in school history.
Gros (9-8) got the win, pitching all 12 innings, allowing six hits and two runs, both unearned, walking five and striking out seven.
Abigail Harter (3-5) took the loss for Marshall, tossing 5.1 innings, allowing three hits and one run, walking two and striking out four.
Fox led Southern Miss with two hits in game one.
In game two, Marshall again threatened in the first inning, as Williams doubled with one out, but Folden then lined into a double play to end the threat.
Southern Miss made the score 1-0 in the second, as Fox doubled with one out, before scoring on a RBI bunt single by Bullard.
Marshall tied the game at 1-1 in the fourth, as Folden doubled with one out, before Rodriguez singled advancing pinch runner Courtney Kacenga to third. Following a Lady Eagle pitching change to Samantha Davis, Deanna Tourville scored Kacenga on a RBI sacrifice fly, to tie the game at 1-1.
Southern Miss got its game winning run in the fifth, as Fox doubled to start the inning, before advancing to third on a single by Bullard. Fox then scored on a wild pitch, to make the score 2-1.
From there, Davis got the final six outs, allowing two hits, one in the sixth and seventh, to earn her first career victory.
Davis (1-0) pitched the final 3.2 innings, allowing two hits.
Harter (3-6) took the loss, pitching four innings, allowing four hits and two runs, striking out two.
Fox finished with two hits and two runs scored in game two.
Southern Miss concludes the Marshall series on Sunday, with a 12 p.m., contest.
