Southern Miss
Mississippi Valley State
Softball Sweeps Doubleheader, Series With MVSU
2/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score (Game 1) | Box Score (Game 2)
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss softball team improved to 8-4 overall and 3-0 at home with a pair of wins in a Saturday doubleheader with Mississippi Valley State. The Golden Eagles recorded an 11-3 run-rule victory in game one and a 3-2 win in game two to complete the three-game sweep of the Devilettes.
In the circle, the Black and Gold recorded solid performances by a trio of pitchers.
In game one, Samantha Robles earned her third victory of the season, tossing 3.0 innings of work against MVSU. The sophomore allowed a pair of runs on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Robles gave way to Jillian Johnson in the top of the fourth inning. Johnson allowed one run on one hit in 2.0 innings. The run snapped a streak of 15 consecutive scoreless innings by the true freshman.
In game two, Danielle Block worked a complete game for her first win of the year. The Phoenix, Ariz. native allowed a pair of runs (one earned run), scattering five hits in 7.0 innings of work. Block walked a pair and struck out a career high seven batters.
Offensively, the Golden Eagles notched a .333 team batting average, going 14-for-42 on the weekend with four doubles, a triple, 14 runs scored and eight RBI. Bailey Stokes, Samantha Reynolds, Sarah Evans, Katie Cleary and Samantha Robles each finished the day with multiple hits. Reynolds notched a triple, while Stokes, Cleary, Mallory Hayden and Jordan Beck each recorded doubles. Reynolds led the way with three runs scored, while Beck led the team with a pair of RBI.
Southern Miss travels to Oxford, Miss. for a midweek doubleheader with Ole Miss on Wednesday, Feb. 25. Live stats and in-game tweets (@SouthernMissSB) will be available throughout the games.
Game One
In game one, the Golden Eagles scored 11 runs on eight hits, including a double and a triple. Selena Estrada closed out the game with a RBI pinch-hit single to close out the 11-3 run-rule victory.
Southern Miss jumped out to an early lead, plating five runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Golden Eagles opened the game with back-to-back walks by Morgan McKeever and Reynolds. Evans singled to center field. On the play, each runner was able to advance on a throwing error by the Mississippi Valley State center fielder. Cleary plated a second run with a RBI groundout. Robles singled to drive in Evans and push the lead to 3-0. Hayden followed with a double to left center field, leaving the Golden Eagles with a pair of runners in scoring position. Robles scored on a sacrifice fly to center field and Hayden came around to score on a wild pitch, giving the home team a 5-0 advantage.
The Golden Eagles doubled their lead with a five-run second inning. Kaelyn Christofferson led off the inning with a single to the pitcher. She stole second to move into scoring position. With one out, Christofferson advanced to third on a wild pitch. Reynolds tripled to right center field, scoring Christofferson. Evans drew a four-pitch walk. Ball four was wild and got away from the catcher, allowing Evans to advance to second and Reynolds to score easily. Cleary followed with a single to left field. On the play, the MVSU left fielder misplayed the ball, allowing Cleary and Evans to advance an additional base. Robles continued the inning with a walk. Hayden reached on an error. On the play, Hayden advanced to second, while Robles moved to third. Cleary scored on the play. Stokes walked to load the bases. Robles scored as Michelle Stringer delivered a sacrifice fly to right field, giving USM a double-digit lead.
Mississippi Valley State chipped into the lead in the top of the fourth inning. The leadoff batter, Deja Talton, lifted the first pitch she saw over the left center field fence to put the Devilettes on the scoreboard. The next batter followed with a double to center field, prompting a pitching change. MVSU continued the inning with a single, leaving runners on the corners. J. Johnson was called for an illegal pitch, scoring the lead runner. Back-to-back groundouts scored the final run of the inning and a third groundout ended the inning.
In the fifth inning, Stokes led off with a single through the left side of the infield. Rachel Johnson entered to run at first base. Stringer laid down a sacrifice bunt. On the play, R. Johnson advanced all the way to third base. Estrada entered the game to pinch hit. The sophomore singled through the left side of the infield, scoring R. Johnson and securing the run-rule victory.
Game Two
In game two, the Golden Eagles came from behind and held on for a one-run victory over the Devilettes. The Black and Gold tallied three runs on six hits, including three doubles.
Mississippi Valley State was the first to score, plating a run in the top of the first inning. The leadoff batter was hit by a pitch. The next batter dropped down a bunt to advance the runner into scoring position. On the play, an error by Southern Miss allowed both Devilettes to advance into scoring position with no outs. The next batter hit a ground ball to second base. McKeever alertly went home with the ball, eliminating the lead runner. With runners on the corners, MVSU used a stolen base to move both runners into scoring position. A RBI single plated the first run of the game. The Golden Eagles were able to record the second out of the inning catching a runner in a rundown. Block closed out the inning with a strikeout, but the Black and Gold trailed 1-0 after a half an inning.
The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, Reynolds singled up the middle. Evans followed with a single to center field. She advanced to second on a fielding error and moved to third on a second error on the play. Reynolds scored from second on the play, knotting the score at 1-1.
The Golden Eagles took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, Estrada and Stokes both walked to give Southern Miss a pair of base runners. Arielle Pollock entered the game to run for Stokes. Beck stepped into the batter's box as a pinch hitter. The true freshman delivered a two-RBI double down the left field line for her first collegiate extra-base hit and give the home team a 3-1 advantage.
The Devilettes threatened in the seventh inning. With one out, the Golden Eagles surrendered a walk. Block struck out the next batter for the second out of the frame. MVSU's Natalia Covarrubias doubled to left field over the head of Reynolds. The lead runner was able to score, cutting the USM lead to 3-2. Covarrubias tried to extended the double to a triple, but was gunned down as Reynolds hit Hayden at the cutoff. Hayden then fired the ball into Stringer who applied the tag, ending the game and preserving the 3-2 victory.
