Southern Miss
UAB
Golden Eagle Softball Splits C-USA Twinbill Opener at UAB
3/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 7, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Courtney Ramos tossed a two-hitter in the nightcap of the doubleheader to lead Southern Miss to a 5-0 softball victory, after the Golden Eagles fell 7-2 in their Conference USA opener at UAB here Saturday afternoon at George Ward Park.
The Golden Eagles (10-12-1, 1-1 C-USA) improved to 4-2 on the current road trip and finish the three-game set with UAB, Sunday, at 1 p.m.
Ramos fanned seven and walked just one as she retired nine batters in a row midway through the affair. It was the second shutout for the freshman as she improved to 7-4 on the campaign.
Southern Miss got its offense from junior Brandi Alonzo and senior Kristin Pilgrim who each went 3-for-3 and drove in a run in the nightcap.
Pilgrim opened the scoring for Southern Miss with a run-scoring double in the first. The game remained that way until the fifth when Alexis Hurley delivered an RBI groundout to extend the advantage to 2-0.
The Golden Eagles scored three more runs in the sixth as Chanell Thurman led off the frame with a single. Alonzo then tripled in the right-center gap and scored one batter later on a single by Courtney Hill. Two errors by the Blazers following the single by Hill on the play allowed her to score as well.
UAB starter Sara Swepston (2-2) threw five innings and allowed four runs (two earned) on nine hits with a walk and two strikeouts to suffer the loss.
In the opening game, the Golden Eagles had their chances to break open the game, but left the bases loaded in the first and stranded two runs on in the second. For the contest, Southern Miss left 10 runners on base.
The Blazers (7-10, 1-1) took the lead thanks to a two-run homer by Catherine Douglass in the third and then a two-run blast by Amanda Allen, which started a five-run frame for UAB. Following the home run, the Golden Eagles then walked five straight batters - one by senior starter Samantha Davis and four by reliever Lana Vaughn. The walks coupled with one wild pitch accounted for the final three runs in the inning.
Southern Miss cut the gap in the fifth with both of its runs coming from Pilgrim and Megan Hill who each scored in the stanza and the Golden Eagles got the two tallies without the benefit of a base hit and took advantage of two UAB errors.
Davis (2-5) suffered the loss by allowing five runs on four hits and two walks with a pair of strikeouts. Freshman Britney Dinelt threw the final 2 2/3 and did not surrender a run and only allowed one hit and two walks.
Lindsey Croft (3-7) went the distance and did not allow an earned run. She did surrender seven walks and four hits, while fanning seven Golden Eagle hitters.
