University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Softball Opens Conference USA Action with UTSA
3/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss softball team begins play in Conference USA with a three-game series with UTSA on Saturday and Sunday at the Southern Miss Softball Complex. The Golden Eagles and Roadrunners will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1:00 p.m. before concluding the series with a single game at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Live stats, live video stream and in-game tweets (@SouthernMissSB) will be available throughout the weekend. Friday's doubleheader will serve as Boys and Girls Club Day. Members of the Boys and Girls Club who received tickets in advance are encouraged to wear black and gold. After the game, the Golden Eagles softball team will have an autograph session and sign posters. On Sunday, the first 100 fans in attendance will receive a Southern Miss drawstring bag.
The Golden Eagles are coming off of a pair of victories in a midweek doubleheader against Detroit. The Black and Gold rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the seventh inning to claim a 5-4 win in game one before earning a 7-4 win in game two.
Offensively against the Titans, the team batted .385 on the night, going 20-for-52 with six doubles and a triple. Morgan McKeever and Sarah Evans each paced the team with four hits apiece with Evans boasting three doubles. Selena Estrada recorded three hits, including a triple, while Samantha Robles, Mallory Hayden and Katie Cleary each had two hits apiece. Robles finished with a pair of doubles while Arielle Pollock added a two bagger.
In the circle, Robles and Danielle Block each notched victories, while Jillian Johnson earned her first collegiate save. The pitching staff combined for 12 strikeouts with just four walks.
Shelbee Rodgers earned a no decision in game one, but re-entered the game in the seventh inning as a pinch runner and scored the game-winning run. The senior tossed 4.0 innings, scattering five hits. Rodgers allowed four runs (three earned runs) with a walk and four strikeouts. She gave way to Robles, who picked up her fifth win of the season. Robles allowed no runs on two hits with two strikeouts.
In game two, Block earned the start and picked up her second win of the season. She allowed three runs (two earned runs) on two hits and three walks. Block struck out a pair of batters. J. Johnson earned her first collegiate save, tossing the final three innings of the game. She allowed a run on two hits with four strikeouts.
Southern Miss holds a 7-1 overall record in the all-time series with UTSA. The two teams met five times in regular-season tournaments between 1999 and 2004 with the Golden Eagles claiming five wins.
Last season, the two teams met for the first time as members of Conference USA. The Black and Gold won the first game 10-5 before dropping a 3-1 decision to the Roadrunners. In the rubber match between the two teams, the Golden Eagles posted a 3-0 shutout to claim the series.
Scouting the Opposition:
The Roadrunners continue to lead C-USA with a .337 batting average, .593 slugging percentage, 148 runs scored, 140 RBI, six triples, 32 home runs and 91 walks. Batting out of the No. 9 spot in the order, Jade Smith's .473 average leads the team and ranks fifth in the league. Six players have an average better than .340, while Courtney Buchman (.414) and Kendall Burton (.408) join Smith with a mark better than .400. Randee Crawford's 29 RBI and Buchman's 23 runs scored each rank second in the circuit.
Chelsea Parker has appeared in 15 of the team's 20 games and she paces the pitching staff with a 6-2 record and 3.80 ERA. Kacy Freeze's 51 strikeouts are tops on the squad, while Nicole Merrill neared a no-hitter last weekend as she improved to 5-2 with a 3.99 ERA.
