University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Black Tops Gold in Annual Fan Day Scrimmage
2/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The Southern Miss softball team hosted its annual Black and Gold Scrimmage on Saturday morning as part of Fan Day. The Black Team pulled out the victory, defeating the Gold Team 6-0 in a five-inning scrimmage.
Following the game, the team hosted a free one-hour softball clinic for local kids. The Golden Eagles rotated the clinic participants through eight different stations focusing on fielding, hitting and pitching. The Fan Day concluded with a poster-signing, autographing the 2016 schedule poster for all those in attendance.
"Fan Day is always so much fun," head coach Wendy Hogue said after the event. "You enter a different world when the little kids get out here and start running around out here carefree. You remember why we play the game. That goes with our #LOVE -- Learn, Others, Vision Effort. Those kids that were out here today, that is what it is all about. We had a great time. I'm not sure who had more fun, the campers or our team."
In the scrimmage, Katie Cleary and Samantha Reynolds led the way for the Black Team with three hits apiece. Cleary finished 3-for-3 with two doubles, a run scored and a RBI, while Reynolds was also 3-for-3 with a RBI and a runs scored. Lauren Holifield and Kaelyn Christofferson each had a pair of hits in the game.
In the circle, Jillian Johnson earned the victory in 3.0 innings of work. She allowed no runs on a pair of hits and a strikeout. She was relieved by true freshman Meredith Miller who tossed the final 2.0 innings of scoreless softball with a walk and a strikeout.
For the Gold Team, Samantha Papp and Michelle Stringer each had a double. Samantha Robles was charged with the loss. She allowed eight hits in 3.0 innings with three walks and a pair of strikeouts. Danielle Block closed out the game for the Gold Team, hurling 2.0 innings with a strikeout.
The majority of the scoring occurred in the bottom of the second inning as the Black Team scored five of its six runs in the frame. J. Johnson started the inning with a walk and Christofferson reached on an infield single. Tori Rouse dropped down a bunt that loaded the bases. The first run came across on a RBI walk by Rachel Johnson. Reynolds slipped a ball through the right side of the infield to score the lead runner. Holifield followed with a hot-shot ball to short to score a run. Morgan McKeever lifted a fly ball to left field for a sacrifice fly. Cleary delivered an infield single to score Reynolds. Bailey Stokes walked to load the bases with just one out, but Robles ended the inning and the threat with back-to-back strikeouts.
The Black Team added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Cleary led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Stokes singled down the right field line to score Cleary and extend the advantage to 6-0.
The Southern Miss softball team is scheduled to play a 55-game schedule that includes 26 games at the Southern Miss Softball Complex. In addition, the Golden Eagles will play 19 games against 11 different teams that played in NCAA Regionals last season.
Southern Miss begins the 2016 campaign at the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Ala. on Feb. 12-14. The Golden Eagles host Alabama State in a doubleheader at the Softball Complex to open up the 2016 home campaign on Wednesday, Feb. 17.
