University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss
Alcorn State
Softball Sweeps Alcorn State in Doubleheader
3/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score (Game 1) | Box Score (Game 1) 
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Photo Gallery
Box Score (Game 2) | Box Score (Game 2)
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The Southern Miss softball team completed a two-game sweep of in-state opponent Alcorn State on Wednesday evening at the Southern Miss Softball Complex. The Golden Eagles posted an 8-5 victory in game one before blanking the Lady Braves 11-0 in five innings in the night cap.
As a team, the Golden Eagles batted .422 on the night, going 19-for-45 with a pair of doubles and a triple. The Black and Gold scored 19 runs with 19 RBI. Bailey Stokes finished the double dip 3-for-3 with a double and three walks on the night, while Morgan McKeever was 4-for-5 overall with a triple and a team-best six RBI. Sarah Evans finished with three hits, including a double and five RBI and a team-best three runs scored. Rachel Johnson and Tori Dew each added two hits apiece.
In the circle, Southern Miss' four pitchers combined for a 2.33 earned run average. The Golden Eagles pitching staff struck out nine batters while walking six.
In game one, three pitchers took the circle for Southern Miss. Samantha Robles earned the start. The redshirt sophomore allowed one run on seven hits in 4.0 innings of work with no walks and six strikeouts. She gave way to Jillian Johnson who tossed 2.0 innings allowing four runs (three earned runs) on five hits with three walks and a strikeout. Meredith Miller entered the circle for the first time at home. The true freshman allowed one hit and a walk with a strikeout in 1.0 scoreless innings.
In game two, Danielle Block went the distance in the run-rule victory. The sophomore did not allow a run in 5.0 innings. Block allowed three hits without an extra-base hit with two walks and a strikeout. The shutout was the first of the season for the Golden Eagles and the third complete-game shutout of Block's career.
Southern Miss returns to action this weekend as the Golden Eagles host No. 5 Louisiana-Lafayette in a three-game weekend series at the Softball Complex. Live stats, live audio, live video, and in-game tweets (@SouthernMissSB) will be available throughout the weekend.
Game 1 Recap -- Softball Holds on for Win Over Lady Braves
In game one, the Golden Eagles jumped out to an early lead and withstood a late Lady Braves rally to earn an 8-5 victory.
Southern Miss scored first, plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. McKeever drew a four-pitch walk and moved to second on a single by Dew. With two outs and runners on first and second, the two base runners advanced a base on an illegal pitch. Lauren Holifield drew a walk to load the bases. Stokes followed with a double to left center field, driving in the first two runs of the game.
Alcorn State responded with a run in the top of the second inning. With one out, Hannah Vesper drove a full-count pitch over the left field wall for a solo home run. Following the homer, Robles responded with back-to-back Ks to end the inning and keep the score at 2-1.
The Golden Eagles added two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Samantha Reynolds walked to start the inning and stole second base to move into scoring position. She advanced to third on a R. Johnson single to short. R. Johnson promptly stole second base to move one base closer to home. McKeever drove home the first run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to center field. Two batters later, Katie Cleary single dup the middle to score R. Johnson and give the home team a 4-1 advantage.
In the third, the Black and Gold saw Holifield walk and Stokes single to put a pair of runners on board. An illegal pitch moved the runners up a base. Robles flied out to left field for the second sacrifice fly of the night.
The fourth saw Southern Miss add a pair of runs. With one out, Dew singled to right center field. She moved to second on a wild pitch. Cleary drew a four-pitch walk and Sydney Pollock entered the game to run for Cleary. Evans singled through the right side of the infield scoring Dew. Holifield walked to load the bases. Stokes flied out to center field, recording the third sacrifice fly of the first game.
In the fifth, the Golden Eagles extended their advantage to 8-1. Reynolds led off the inning with a single to left field and R. Johnson was hit by a pitch to give USM speed on the bases. A wild pitch moved the runners and a pinch-hit single by Michelle Stringer scored Reynolds. Southern Miss was unable to score the potential run-rule victory, stranding a pair of runners on base.
The Lady Braves chipped into the lead in the sixth inning. A walk and a single placed a pair of runners on base. The two runners advanced one base on a wild pitch. The Golden Eagles traded an out for a run as the lead runner scored on a RBI groundout. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases. A single down the left field line scored a run. Southern Miss retired the lead runner on a fielder's choice and escaped the inning without any runs with a groundout.
In the seventh, Alcorn led off the inning with a double and a single. A fielding error allowed the lead runner to score and the trail runner to take third. A walk left runners at the corners. With two outs, the Lady Braves used a single up the middle to score a run. Alcorn State tried to plate another runner, but before the run could cross the plate the Golden Eagles caught the runner at first in a rundown tagging her out and ending the game before the run could score.
Game 2 Recap -- Softball Blanks Braves to Complete Sweep
In game two, Southern Miss jumped out early and never looked back, notching an 11-0 run-rule victory.
The Golden Eagles used three hits and five walks issued by the Lady Braves pitching staff to bat around in the first inning and take an early 6-0 lead. McKeever started the game with a single and Dew followed with a walk. Cleary loaded the bases with a four-pitch walk. Holifield flied out to center field, scoring McKeever on the sacrifice fly -- the fourth of the night for the Golden Eagles. Stokes continued the inning with a walk to reload the bases. Evans hit a rocked down the right field line that drove in two runs. Kaelyn Christofferson walked to load the bases for a third time. Reynolds kept the carousel going with a RBI base on balls. With two outs, McKeever stepped to the plate for the second time in the inning, delivering a two-RBI single up the middle to give Southern Miss a 6-0 lead.
In the third, Southern Miss added a run. With one out, R. Johnson singled to the shortstop. Before the pitcher was back in the circle, R. Johnson alertly advanced to second. She stole second to move one base closer to home and came in to score on a McKeever RBI single up the middle.
The fourth saw the Golden Eagles tally four runs on four hits to provide the final margin of victory. Holifield singled to left field and S. Pollock entered the game to run at first. Stokes walked and Evans drove home the runners with a two-RBI double to left center field. On the play, Evans moved to third on the throw to the plate. With one out, Arielle Pollock entered the game to pinch hit. A. Pollock legged out an infield single to third base. She stole second base to give Southern Miss a pair of runners in scoring position. McKeever followed with a two-out two-RBI triple to right center field, sliding in safely under the tag.
With Southern Miss up 11-0, Block closed out the game with a 1-2-3 inning.
