University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss
Mississippi Valley State (Louisiana-Lafayette Tournament)
Southern Miss Softball Drops Pair of Extra-Inning Games at Louisiana Classics Sunday
2/24/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 24, 2008
LAFAYETTE, La. - Karli Hubbard blooped a single to centerfield to score the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th to give No. 20 Louisiana-Lafayette a 3-2 victory over Southern Miss here Sunday at Ragin' Cajuns Park to complete play in the 22nd annual Louisiana Classics.
Southern Miss (9-6) also dropped a 5-3 decision in nine innings earlier in the day to Mississippi Valley State to finish the tournament 1-3, but garnered the event's runner-up trophy. The quartet of Kristin Chaney, Jennifer Fox, Kristin Pilgrim and Lana Vaughn were named to the Louisiana Classics All-Tournament team,
In the nightcap, the two teams battled back-and-forth before the Cajuns took the lead for good in the top of the 11th. Lana Bowers delivered a one-out triple to get things going in the pivotal frame before Hubbard took a 1-0 pitch by Samantha Davis into short center for the game winner.
"When you play a regional or super regional-type team like Louisiana-Lafayette, you strive to play to that level and that is what we are working toward," Southern Miss first-year coach Howard Dobson said. "It was an exciting contest that came down to a flair at the end of the game in a hard-fought contest by two teams."
The Lady Eagles opened the game with a solo run in the first on a run-scoring single from Fox.
The Cajuns then tied the game in the top of the second as Bowers collected a sacrifice fly to leftfield. UL then took the lead in the fifth as Melissa Verde delivered an RBI single. Pilgrim tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the frame on a sacrifice fly.
Davis, who defeated Kennesaw State 1-0 in nine innings in her last start, was outstanding again in this contest. She went inning-for-inning with UL freshman standout Ashley Brignac. Davis allowed nine hits and six walks, while fanning four to suffer the loss and to fall to 2-2 on the season.
Brignac collected 12 strikeouts and walked seven while allowing two earned runs on five hits to improve to 5-0 on the campaign.
In the opener, Erica Hardin singled in two runs in the ninth to break a 3-3 deadlock to give MVSU the go-ahead runs in defeating the Lady Eagles in extra innings.
The Lady Eagles tallied nine hits to the Devilettes five, as Brandi Alonzo, Pilgrim and Fox each added two hits each. Southern Miss, though, stranded nine runners in the game including at least one in seven innings.
Southern Miss did get on the board in the first inning with a solo run on a RBI single from Fox, but Angelia Jones put the Devilettes up 3-1 with a three-run home run to left-center in the third frame.
The Lady Eagles battled back in the sixth. After a leadoff walk to Fox, Megan Hill doubled. Logan James then drove in the first run on a shot to third base that was mishandled by Candy Shumpert, allowing Fox to score. Hill then tied the game when she scored on a wild pitch.
Nikki Stouder went the distance in getting the victory for MVSU as she allowed two earned runs with four walks and four strikeouts. Southern Miss starter Shea Naramore (1-1) threw all nine innings for the Lady Eagles, giving up four earned run with five walks and three strikeouts.
Southern Miss returns to action, Wednesday, when they play host to South Alabama in a single contest at the Softball Complex in Hattiesburg. Game time is set for 6 p.m.
