University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Softball Takes Conference USA Lead To Memphis
4/6/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 6, 2006
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -
Memphis-Southern Miss Game Notes
The Southern Miss softball team takes its Conference USA lead to Memphis for a three-game series this weekend.
All of the games can be heard on the Southern Miss ISP Sports Network, by logging onto SouthernMiss.com, with Softball SID Jared Florreich calling the play-by-play. Live stats will be available on the University of Memphis' athletic web site, www.gotigersgo.com.
This weekend marks the first meeting between the two schools, as Memphis began softball competition for the first time in school history this season.
Southern Miss, under the direction of Head Coach Gay McNutt, enters the weekend with a 21-24 overall record, following a 10-5 home defeat to No. 13 Louisiana-Lafayette on Tuesday. The Lady Eagles lead Conference USA with a 7-2 mark, winning their first three league series', including a home weekend sweep of UCF last weekend.
As a team, Southern Miss hits .246, with 274 hits, 176 runs, 57 doubles, five triples, 14 home runs, 141 RBIs, 129 walks and 75 stolen bases.
Sophomore Jennifer Fox continues to lead Southern Miss in numerous offensive categories, including batting average (.354), hits (45), home runs (six), RBIs (30), 72 total bases and slugging percentage (.567). Fox ranks sixth in Conference USA in batting average, second in hits, tied for sixth in home runs and tied for fourth in RBIs.
Senior Charity Butler, the current Conference USA Hitter of the Week, leads Southern Miss with 13 doubles, which is tied for second in Conference USA. Her 13 doubles are a career-high, and are tied for the fifth-best single-season performance in school history. Butler also ranks second on the team in hits (42), ranking tied for third in Conference USA.
Senior Ashley Brenan leads the team with 30 runs, 31 walks and 20 stolen bases, which ranks tied for third, second and tied for first respectively in Conference USA. In Conference USA games only, Brenan leads the league with five stolen bases, .455 batting average, .909 slugging percentage and .636 on-base percentage.
In the circle, Southern Miss has a 3.57 ERA, 20 complete games and five shutouts. The five armed staff has worked 298 innings, allowing 294 hits, 193 runs, 152 earned, 175 walks, while striking out 202 and holding opposing teams to a .257 batting average.
Freshman Lacey Gros has a team-best 11-10 record, 13 complete games and 2.96 ERA. In 135 innings of work, she has allowed 102 hits, 69 runs, 57 earned, walked 93 and struck out 123, while holding opponents to a .209 batting average. Gros ranks No. 4 in Conference USA in strikeouts, tied for second in batters struck out looking, fourth in wins, third in innings pitched and sixth in opposing batting average.
Senior Danielle Wymer has a team-best two shutouts, while freshman Samantha Davis and sophomore Krystal Crooks each have single saves on the season.
Memphis, in its first year of softball competition under the direction of Head Coach Wendy Thees, stands 18-17 overall, 3-5 in Conference USA. The Lady Tigers enter the weekend on a two-game losing streak, after dropping two games at Tennessee-Martin on Wednesday. Memphis has also lost six of its last seven games.
Memphis hits .303 as a team, with 290 hits, 190 runs, 54 doubles, three triples, 21 home runs, 155 RBIs, 93 walks and 44 stolen bases.
Cara Stiles leads the team with a .391 batting average, 31 runs scored and 15 stolen bases. Stiles is tied for the team lead with Bridgette McNulty with 43 hits, while McNulty has a team-best 13 doubles, nine home runs, 33 RBIs and 85 total bases.
In the circle, Memphis has a 2.46 ERA, 22 complete games and six shutouts. In 221.2 innings of work, the five armed staff has allowed 192 hits, 108 runs, 78 earned, walked 87, struck out 209 and holds opposing teams to a .227 batting average.
Nicki Johnson leads the team with a 8-7 record and 13 complete games. In 96.2 innings of work, she has allowed 87 hits, 46 runs, 32 earned, walked 27, struck out 89, while opposing teams hit .230 against her on the year. Jenna Kubesch has a team-best 94 strikeouts, while Johnson and Kubesch each havetwo shutouts on the season.
Following the Memphis series, Southern Miss returns to action on April 14 and 15, hosting UAB in a three-game series.
