Southern Miss
North Texas
Softball Falls in Road Doubleheader with North Texas
3/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score (Game 1) | Box Score (Game 2)
DENTON, Texas - The Southern Miss softball team lost a pair of road games to North Texas on Saturday afternoon at Lovelace Stadium in Denton, Texas. The Golden Eagles fell 8-0 in five innings to the host Mean Green before dropping a 12-8 in the nightcap.
Offensively, the Black and Gold batted .340 as a team, going 18-for-53 with three doubles and a home run. Morgan McKeever paced the offensive attack, finishing the day 5-for-6 with a double, a walk, a RBI and two runs scored. Mallory Hayden added three hits, while Jordan Beck, Kaelyn Christofferson and Sarah Evans notched two hits apiece. Beck belted her second home run of the season, while Katie Cleary and Evans each added doubles. Evans paced the team with three RBI, while McKeever, Beck and Christofferson each had two runs apiece.
In the circle, three pitchers saw action during the doubleheader. Jillian Johnson earned the start in game one, before giving way to Shelbee Rodgers. In game two, Rodgers earned the start, but Danielle Block finished the game.
In game one, J. Johnson surrendered six runs on five hits and five walks in 2.0 innings or work. She was charged with the loss. She gave way to Rodgers who closed out the game. Rodgers tossed the final two innings, allowing two unearned runs on two hits and a walk, while striking out a pair.
In game two, Rodgers earned the start. The fifth-year senior earned a no decision, surrendering five runs on eight hits and a walk. She gave way to Block, who worked the final 4.2 innings. Block allowed seven runs (six earned runs) on eight hits and a pair of walks.
Southern Miss and North Texas conclude the series with a single game on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is slated for 12:00 p.m. at Lovelace Field in Denton, Texas. Live stats and in-game tweets (@SouthernMissSB) will be available throughout the game.
Game 1 Recap
In game one, the Mean Green jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as Southern Miss was unable to generate enough offense and fell 8-0 in five innings.
North Texas was the first team to scratch the scoreboard, plating a run in the bottom of the first inning with two outs, Taylor Schoblocher worked the count full and drew a walk. North Texas' Danielle Hoff drove home the first run with a RBI single. The Golden Eagles caught Hoff trying to steal for the final out of the inning, leaving the score 1-0.
The Mean Green increased their lead with five runs in the bottom of the second inning. The leadoff batter walked and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. A single through the left side of the infield left the home team with runners on the corners. The Mean Green took advantage of a second walk of the inning to load the bases. North Texas' Spencer Ferrell doubled to left center field to score a pair of runners. A third walk in the inning loaded the bases once again. The Golden Eagles used a sacrifice fly to right field to record the second out, but a run scored, leaving the Mean Green with runners on the corners. North Texas successfully executed a double steal for another run and Schoblocher singled up the middle to score the final run of the inning.
The Mean Green provided the final margin with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, North Texas used an error to place a runner on first base. The Mean Green used a wild pitch to move the runner into scoring position. A walk continued the inning and a single to right field loaded the bases. North Texas used a RBI single and a RBI fielder's choice to score a pair of unearned runs with the home team leading 8-0.
Game 2 Recap
In game two, the two teams traded runs with the Mean Green outlasting the Golden Eagles, 12-8.
Southern Miss was the first team to score, plating a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. McKeever, who finished the game 3-for-3, lead off the inning with a single to center field. Christofferson reached on a fielder's choice that saw the first out of the inning at second base. Christofferson moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. She came around to score as Beck blasted a two-run home run down the left field line.
North Texas knotted the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the inning. Kelli Schkade led off the inning with a solo home run to left field. The next batter singled to short and advanced to second on a wild pitch. The next batter singled to left field, leaving the hosts with runners on the corners. The next batter reached on a fielder's choice as the Golden Eagles tried to retire the lead runner. The lead runner slid home safely, tying the game at 2-2. Southern Miss got out of the inning by inducing a double play.
The Mean Green took the lead in the bottom of the second. The leadoff batter singled to left field and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. The runner moved to third on a wild and scored on a RBI single, taking their first lead of the game. After a stolen base, North Texas used a walk and a single to load the bases. The next batter singled to drive in two runs and give the Mean Green a 5-2 lead.
The Golden Eagles answered in the top of the third inning. McKeever singled through the right side of the infield and Christofferson followed with a base hit through the left side. Evans doubled off the right center field wall to score McKeever and Christofferson and chip into the lead. Beck drew a walk and Cleary followed with a double to right field to score Evans. Following a pitching change, the Mean Green retired the next two batters. Michelle Stringer continued the inning with a RBI single to left field, giving Southern Miss a 6-5 lead.
North Texas responded in the bottom of the third inning with four runs of their own. The leadoff batter doubled down the left field line. She advanced to third on a groundout to second base. The next batter singled to the pitcher, leaving runners on the corners. Schkade doubled to left center field to tie the score at 6-6. Back-to-back walks gave the Mean Green the lead once again and a single pushed the advantage to 8-6. North Texas used a sacrifice fly to score the final run of the inning.
Down 9-6, Southern Miss chipped into the deficit with a run in the top of the fourth inning. McKeever started the inning with a double down the right field line. She moved to third on a ground out to the pitcher. Evans plated McKeever with a RBI groundout to cut the lead to 9-7.
After posting a zero in the bottom of the fourth, the Golden Eagles pulled to within one with a run in the fourth inning. With one out, Hayden singled up the middle. Arielle Pollock entered the game to run at first base. Selena Estrada recorded a pinch-hit single through the left side of the infield. Stringer followed with a walk to load the bases. McKeever drew a bases loaded walk to score Pollock from third and make the game 9-8, but an interference call ended the inning for the Black and Gold.
The Mean Green scored the final three runs of the game, plating two in the bottom of the fifth and one in the sixth. Schoblocher hit a solo home run to left field in the fifth for the first run. North Texas benefitted from a pair of Southern Miss errors to allow the second run to come home in the fifth. In the sixth, the Mean Green used a leadoff triple and a RBI groundout to score and provide the final 12-8 margin.
