University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Softball To Host Troy Wednesday
3/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 21, 2006
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -
The Southern Miss softball team returns to action on Wednesday, hosting Troy in a doubleheader set for 5 and 7 p.m. The doubleheader also marks the conclusion of a seven-game homestand.
The games can be heard on the Southern Miss ISP Sports Network, with Jason Baker providing the play-by-play action, by logging on to SouthernMiss.com. Live stats will also be available for the first time on Wednesday, as a technical glitch, which prevented live stats from working properly, has been solved.
The Lady Eagles only played twice last week, dropping a March 16 home doubleheader to Ole Miss. Last weekend was Southern Miss' Conference USA weekend off.
Troy and Southern Miss meet for the fourth and fifth times on Wednesday, with Southern Miss holding a 2-1 series advantage. The doubleheader marks the first meeting since 1989, a 9-6 Lady Eagle victory. The two schools originally met twice during the 1988 season, with Troy claiming a 5-4 victory, before Southern Miss won 6-5.
Southern Miss enters the doubleheader with a 15-18 overall record. As a team, the Lady Eagles hit .232, with 189 hits, 114 runs, 43 doubles, five triples, seven home runs, 91 RBIs, 85 walks and 55 stolen bases.
Sophomore Jennifer Fox continues to lead the team in multiple categories, including batting average (.337), hits (31), home runs (four), RBIs (18), total bases (51) and slugging percentage (.554). Senior Charity Butler has a team-best nine doubles, while Ashley Brenan has scored a team-high 19 runs and 14 stolen bases.
In the circle, Southern Miss has a 3.23 ERA, 15 complete games, five shutouts and a save. In 221.0 innings of work, it has allowed 200 hits, 123 runs, 102 earned, walked 131, struck out 162, while holding opponents to a .242 batting average.
Freshman Lacey Gros leads the five armed staff with a 9-9 record, 10 complete games and 3.18 ERA. In a staff-best 112.1 innings of work, she has allowed 87 hits, 62 runs, 51 earned, walked 71, struck out 108, while holding opposing hitters to a .211 batting average. Freshman Samantha Davis has a 0.27 ERA in eight appearances, posting a 1-0 record and a save. In 26 innings of work, she has allowed 14 hits and only one run, walking two and striking out nine. Opposing hitters are hitting only .167 against her on the year.
Troy enters the game with a 15-18 overall record, following a 2-3 showing at the USF Invitational over the weekend.
As a team, the Lady Trojans hit .224, with 179 hits, 100 runs, 29 doubles, four triples, 14 home runs, 85 RBIs, 98 walks and 45 stolen bases.
Sophomore Jessica Lyle leads the team with a .321 batting average and 27 hits, while junior Brooke Powell has a team-high five home runs, 17 RBIs and 45 total bases. Junior Angie Coteat has scored a team-high 16 runs on the year.
In the circle, Troy has a 3.17 ER, 17 complete games and six shutouts. In 221.1 innings of work, it has allowed 225 hits, 103 runs, 78 earned, walked 64, struck out 173, while holding opposing teams to a .263 batting average.
Junior Laine Harcourt leads the three armed staff with a 2.77 ERA, 7-9 record, 15 complete games and four shutouts. In 123.2 innings of work, she has allowed 117 hits, 51 runs, 38 earned, walked 34, struck out 99 and holds opposing batters to a .251 average.
Following Wednesday's doubleheader, Southern Miss returns to Conference USA action, traveling to El Paso, Texas to face UTEP in a three-game series this weekend. Game times are set for 3 and 5 p.m., central time on Saturday, with the series finale set for 12 p.m., on Sunday.
