University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Softball Plays Second Home Conference USA Series, Hosts UCF
3/31/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 31, 2006
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss softball team returns to Conference USA play this weekend in its second home league series, hosting UCF in a three game series.
Game times are set for 1 and 3 p.m., on Saturday, with the series finale at 1 p.m., on Sunday.
All of the games can be heard on the Southern Miss ISP Sports Network, by logging onto SouthernMiss.com, with Jared Florreich providing the play-by-play action. Live stats will also be available on SouthernMiss.com.
Saturday marks the first meeting between Southern Miss and UCF, as the Golden Knights are one of five new teams joining softball competition in Conference USA this season.
Southern Miss, under the direction of Head Coach Gay McNutt, is in the midst of a seven-game homestand and is so far 1-2 in that stretch. The Lady Eagles enter the weekend with an 18-23 overall record, 4-2 mark in Conference USA. The team enters the weekend following an 8-0 defeat to No. 22 Mississippi State on Thursday.
As a team, Southern Miss hits .239 overall, with 241 hits, 156 runs, 50 doubles, five triples, 11 home runs, 124 RBIs, 118 walks and 67 stolen bases.
Sophomore Jennifer Fox continues to lead the team in multiple categories, including batting average (.345), hits (39), home runs (six), RBIs (27) and total bases (65). Senior Charity Butler leads the team with 11 doubles on the year, while, senior Ashley Brenan has a team-best 27 runs, 27 walks and 17 stolen bases.
In the circle, Southern Miss has a 3.55 ERA, with 17 complete games and five shutouts. In 270 innings of work, the five armed unit has allowed 273 hits, 178 runs, 137 earned, walked 156, struck out 185, while opposing teams are hitting .261 against it on the year.
Freshman Lacey Gros leads the team with a 9-10 record, 11 complete games and 3.12 ERA. In 121 innings or work, she has allowed 95 hits, 66 runs, 54 earned, walked 80, struck out 112, while opposing hitters are hitting .214 against her on the year. Freshman Samantha Davis has a 3-3 record and a 2.49 ERA in 45 innings of work, while Davis and sophomore Krystal Crooks each have single saves on the year. Senior Danielle Wymer has a team-best two shutouts.
UCF, under the direction of Renee Luers-Gilispie, in her fifth season, enters the weekend with a 13-23 overall record, 0-9 mark in Conference USA. The Golden Knights have lost 12 consecutive games.
The Golden Knights hit .226 as a team, with 210 hits, 92 runs, 28 doubles, one triple, 15 home runs, 86 RBIs, 28 stolen bases and 100 walks.
Junior Cici Alvarez leads the team with a .324 batting average, 36 hits, 22 runs, 14 walks and 13 stolen bases. Junior Kacie Feaster leads the squad with eight doubles, four home runs, 19 RBIs and 57 total bases.
In the circle, the team has a 2.76 ERA, with 20 complete games and four shutouts. In 249 innings of work, the four armed staff has allowed 245 hits, 142 runs, 98 earned, walked 95, struck out 181, while opposing teams are hitting .254 against it on the year.
Sophomore Allison Kime has a staff-best 9-9 record, 13 complete games and four shutouts. In 134.1 innings of work, she has allowed 104 hits, 54 runs, 32 earned, walked 51, struck out 128, while opponents are hitting .209 against her on the season.
Southern Miss returns to action on Tuesday, April 4, with a 6 p.m., contest against No. 11 Louisiana-Lafayette at the Southern Miss Softball Complex.
