University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Softball Entertains C-USA Rival East Carolina This Weekend
3/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 13, 2009
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss softball team concludes a five-game homestand this weekend when they entertain Conference USA foe East Carolina for a three-game set at the USM Softball Complex. Game times are 1 p.m., for a Saturday twinbill, and 12 noon with a single game, Sunday.
The Golden Eagles (12-13-1) have enjoyed a solid week opening this homestand with wins over Baylor and Nicholls State.
The squad got consecutive strong pitching outings from Samantha Davis and Courtney Ramos in those two victories. Davis held down a strong Baylor squad to just three runs (two earned), while Ramos tossed a two-hitter in the win over the Colonels.
Ramos, a freshman from Hilmar, Calif., leads the team in pitching this season with an 8-5 record to go along with a 2.34 earned run average. She also has recorded a team-best 67 strikeouts in 80 2/3 innings. Davis, a senior from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., has posted a 3-5 mark with a 4.67 ERA.
Junior Megan Hill continues to lead Southern Miss offensively.
Hill drove in four runs in the pair of victories including a three-run double against Baylor that proved to be the game winner. For the year, Hill has tallied a team-high .449 batting average with 12 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 24 runs batted in. In addition, she has scored 20 runs and registered a .573 on base percentage while also tallying a slugging percentage of .855. Hill currently has the team's current best hitting streak at five games.
Senior catcher Kristin Pilgrim ranks second in batting average for the Golden Eagles, posting a .351 mark with four home runs and 20 RBI. Sophomore second baseman Courtney Hill is third at .338 with four triples and 15 RBI.
East Carolina enters the weekend with a 14-7 overall record and 2-1 in C-USA play, after defeating Houston at home to start league play last weekend. The Pirates enter the weekend having won four of their last five games.
In a series that dates back to 1985, the two teams have met 24 times on the diamond with the Golden Eagles holding a 14-10 advantage in the series.
