Southern Miss
Marshall
Eagle Softball Team Drops First Game of Doubleheader, 5-4
4/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Beth Dietrich (9-14) took the loss for the Eagles as she surrendered five runs on eight hits only three were earned with three strike outs. Williamson (6-10) got the win working the final 2.0 innings allowing one run on two hits. Starter Erika Bennett pitched 5.0 innings giving up three runs on four hits.
Marshall struck first in the home half of the first as Alianna Telles led off with a double and pinch runner Jessica Hughes advanced to third on a pass ball before Rebecca Gamby homered to center to give the Herd a 2-0 lead. The Herd added another run when Valle drew a walked and pinch runner Morgan Cottrell stole second, got to third on an error and scored on a sac bunt by Melanie Stoehr.
The Herd extended their lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the second when Loesing reached on a bunt single and scored when Telles singled and the Eagle committed an error in the outfield.
Southern Miss threatened in the visitor's half of the third when Courtney Hill reached base after being hit by a pitch and got to second when Brittany Lilly hit a line drive off the glove of the third baseman. Both runners moved up a base as when Brown grounded out to second. Bennett then struck out the side to end the threat.
The Golden Eagles again stranded runners in scoring position in the top of the fourth as Mathis led off with a walk and moved to second when Hurley singled off the pitcher before Bennett ended the inning with another strikeout.
Southern Miss finally put runs on the board in the top of the fifth with one out. Leslie LeJune singled up the middle and advance to second on a wild pitch. Taylor Brown then hammered her first career home run with a blast over right field to cut the Marshall lead to 4-2. The game was halted because of rain and after a 42-minute rain delay play resumed with Britney Dinelt still at bat with a 1-0 count. Dinelt fouled off several pitches before finally striking out.
The Golden Eagles added a run in the top of the sixth when Michelle Takeda blasted a solo shot over the left field fence.
After a 23-minute rain delay, Southern Miss came back in the top half of the seventh to tie the game 4-4. With the top of the order coming to bat for the Eagles, LeJune drove the left fielder back to the fence before she made the catch to save a home run. Brown then reached second after the center fielder dropped a deep fly ball and advance to third on a wild pitch. She scored off a Dinelt single up the middle. Takeda followed with single to center and both runners moved to third and second on a wild pitch, but Williamson got Thurman to popped out to short to end the inning.
In the bottom of the inning, Thompson reached on a bunt single and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Loesing. Telles grounded out to the pitcher while pushing the runner to third. Gamby and Alysia Hively were intentionally walked to load the bases before Valle came up with the RBI single.
