Southern Miss
Houston
Southern Miss Splits Doubleheader with Houston
4/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 25, 2009
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss split a doubleheader with Houston, winning the first game, 4-3, before dropping the nightcap, 7-2, Saturday afternoon at the Southern Miss Softball Complex. The victory snapped a seven-game losing streak to Houston.
In Game One, after retiring the side in order in the top of the first, Southern Miss (24-23-2, 10-9-1 C-USA) got on the board in the bottom half. With one out, Casey Jo Matthews reached base when third baseman Christa Raley couldn't handle a weak ground ball. Kristin Pilgrim then singled to center field and advanced to second on the throw, putting runners in scoring position with one out. Logan James grounded out to shortstop, driving in Matthews for the 1-0 lead. Ashley Razey grounded out to end the inning.
UH (22-21, 9-9) responded in the second inning. With one out, Raley reached on Chanell Thurman's error at shortstop. Melissa Gregson then made her pay for it, depositing Samantha Davis' 2-2 pitch over the right center field wall, giving the Cougars a 2-1 lead.
Houston got another run in the third. Katy Beth Sherman led off with a single up the middle, and was sacrificed to second by Jessica Valis. Katie Bush reached on Thurman's second error of the day, and stole second. After Elaina Nordstrom grounded out, Davis walked the next two batters, allowing Sherman to score and give the Cougars a 3-1 lead.
The Lady Eagles retook the lead in the bottom of the third. Megan Hill drew leadoff walk. Two batters later, Kristin Pilgrim grounded to short. But, Jessica Valis held on to the ball too long, allowing Pilgrim to beat the throw. Logan James then loaded the bases with a single up the middle. After Ashley Razey struck out, Lauren Castellvi popped up to the pitcher, who lost the ball, allowing it to drop and Hill to score. Thurman then singled up the middle, scoring Pilgrim and James for a 4-3 Southern Miss advantage.
Houston had one last chance in the seventh inning, starting with a leadoff single by Katy Beth Sherman. After she was sacrifice to second, Katie Bush singled to center field, sending Sherman around third towards home. However, Britni Alonzo fired a strike to Pilgrim, who tagged the sliding Sherman for the second out. Nordstrom then flied out to left, ending the game.
HU got things going early in Game Two. Jessica Valis led off with a double down the left field line, and moved to third on Bush's sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, Laurie Wagner drove her in with a single to left field. Raley then grounded to short. But Britney Dinelt could not handle Thurman's throw, and everyone was safe. Gregson then hit a high fly ball that snuck just inside the left field foul pole for her second home run of the day, as Houston grabbed a 4-0 lead.
The Cougars got another run in the second. Casey Willow singled to leadoff, but was thrown out trying to steal second. Sherman and Jessica Valis hit back-to-back singles, the latter of which moved everyone up a base when Courtney Ramos' throw went wide of first base. Bush then drove in Sherman with a double down the left field line for a 5-0 Houston lead.
With one out in the third, Haley Valis flied out to left field, and Melissa Gregson took second. Thurman's throw was wide, allowing Gregson to go to third. But, Megan Hill overthrew Castvelli at third, and Gregson trotted home.
Southern Miss finally got on the board in the third when Megan Hill hit her 10th home run of the year over the center field fence, cutting the deficit to 6-1.
Both teams scored in the sixth to get the final at 7-2.
The teams return to field tomorrow for the series finale. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
