University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Softball Falls Twice in Opening Day of Desert Classic
2/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 13, 2009
DePaul Box Score 
UNLV Box Score
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss opened play in the Louisvile Slugger Desert Classic with a pair of losses here Friday, losing to No. 16 DePaul 8-5 and host UNLV 6-2.
The Golden Eagles had a two-game winning streak snapped as they fell to 3-4 on the season.
Against UNLV, the Golden Eagles took an early 2-0 lead. After Courtney Hill and Casey Jo Matthews each singled to start the game. Kristin Pilgrim then executed a sacrifice bunt, before Megan Hill followed with a two-run single to centerfield.
The game remained that way until the second when Brittany Meade doubled in a run. The Rebels took the lead for good one inning later when Brittany Bolinger and Marissa Nichols collected back-to-back home runs.
The Rebels added two more runs in the fourth as one scored on a Golden Eagle fielding error and the other on a sacrifice fly by Kendall Fearn. UNLV added its final tally in the sixth on a RBI groundout by Jaci Hull.
Courtney Ramos fell to 3-1 in the loss after throwing for 5 2/3 innings after allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits and seven walks with nine strikeouts. Jessica O'Connor went the distance and fanned 10 to improve to 2-0.
In the opening game, Southern Miss collected a season-best16 hits including a 4-for-4 performance by Chanell Thurman. Courtney Hill, Casey Jo Matthews and Megan Hill all added a pair of hits each, while Logan James tallied a team-best two RBI.
DePaul, leading 2-1, broke open the game with a six-run third inning.
Down 8-1, Southern Miss rallied with three runs in the fifth. Megan Hill led off the stanza with a double. After an out to move up Hill, James drove home the run with a groundout. Lauren Castellvi then delivered a two-out single and scored one batter later when Thurman doubled. Courtney Hill then singled home Thurman to cut the gap to 8-4.
James plated the final Southern Miss run with a single in the sixth that scored Kristin Pilgrim who singled to open things up.
Samantha Davis (0-2) went just two-plus innings to suffer the loss after allowing eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits and three walks. Lana Vaughn threw the final four frames of shutout ball, surrendering just four hits and two walks with two strikeouts.
The schedule for the tournament continues Saturday with a contest against BYU (11 a.m. CT) and South Dakota State (3:30 p.m. CT).
