Southern Miss
WKU
Walk-Off Highlights Day 1 Split with WKU
4/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score (Game 1) | Box Score (Game 1) 
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Photo Gallery (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2) | Box Score (Game 2) | Photo Gallery (Game 2)
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Southern Miss split a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon with defending Conference USA Champion WKU at the Southern Miss Softball Complex. The Golden Eagles used a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning to claim a 3-2 victory in game one, while the Lady Toppers claimed a 4-0 win in game two.
In the circle, the Black and Gold tallied a 1.75 earned run average on the day as all four pitchers saw action. Southern Miss allowed only two unearned runs in game one, while surrendering four runs in game two.
Danielle Block earned the start in both games. She was charged with the loss in game two. On the day, Block allowed 4 runs (2 earned runs) on six hits with no walks and a strikeout in 5.1 innings of work. In game one, she worked a team-high 4.0 innings allowing two unearned runs on four hits with a strikeout. In game two, Block allowed two runs on three hits in 1.1 innings.
Jillian Johnson made appearances in both games. The sophomore did not allow a run in 7.1 innings on the day. She scattered six hits with two walks and three strikeouts. In game one, she relieved Block, allowing three hits, a walk and a strikeout in 3.1 innings of shutout ball. In game two, J. Johnson closed out the game, tossing the final 4.0 innings, allowing no runs on three hits and a walk with a pair of strikeouts.
Samantha Robles claimed the win in game one. The redshirt sophomore tossed 1.2 innings of perfect softball, facing the minimum and striking out three. Meredith Miller saw time in game two. The true freshman surrendered a pair of runs on three hits in 1.2 innings with no walks and a strikeout.
Offensively, Lauren Holifield finished the day 4-for-8 (.500) with a double, a home run, two runs scored and a RBI. Six other Golden Eagles recorded hits on the day. Samantha Papp made her one hit count as the true freshman drove in the game-winning run with a RBI single in the bottom of the ninth of game one.
The two teams conclude the three-game series on Sunday with a single game slated for 1:00 p.m. Live stats, live video and in-game tweets (@SouthernMissSB) will be available throughout the game.
Game 1 Recap -- Golden Eagles Claim Game 1 in Walk-Off Fashion
Tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Papp hit a RBI single to shallow center field to score Holifield from third and give Southern Miss a 3-2 walk-off victory.
WKU was the first team to score, plating two unearned runs in the top of the third. The first two batters of the inning benefited from a pair of Southern Miss miscues leaving runners on first and second base. The Lady Toppers used a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position. A fly ball to center field was deep enough to score the lead runner on the sacrifice fly. With two outs and runners on the corners, WKU attempted a double steal. The Golden Eagles were able to get the final out of the inning, catching the trail runner in a rundown, but not before the lead runner scored to put the visitors in front 2-0.
Southern Miss chipped into the lead with a run in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Holifield hit a solo home run to left center field to cut the deficit in half. The homer was the seventh of the season for the transfer and her fifth of the season against Conference USA opponents.
The Golden Eagles knotted the score with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Katie Cleary walked and Sydney Pollock entered to run at first base. She moved to second on a groundout. With two outs, the Black and Gold benefited from a throwing error by the Lady Toppers to score S. Pollock from second and tie the score at 2-2.
The score remained tied at two until the ninth inning. The Golden Eagles worked out of a runner on third situation in the sixth inning and a bases loaded pickle in the eighth, but kept the Lady Toppers off of the scoreboard.
In the ninth, Holifield led off with a double off the right center field fence. She moved to third on a wild pitch by WKU. With two outs, Papp singled to center field, scoring Holifield and giving Southern Miss the one-run walk-off victory.
Game 2 Recap -- Softball Falls to Lady Toppers in Nightcap
In game two, the Southern Miss offense was kept in check by the WKU pitching staff, resulting in a 4-0 Lady Toppers win.
WKU scored a pair of runs in the first inning. With a runner on first and two outs, the Lady Tops' Brooke Holloway hit a two-run home run to right field to put the visitors in front 2-0.
The Lady Toppers extended their lead to 4-0 with a pair of runs in the third. The leadoff batter singled and the next battered doubled to give the visitors a pair of base runners in scoring position with no outs. The Golden Eagles used a strikeout to record the first out of the inning, but a RBI single scored the lead runner. WKU successfully executed a double steal to score the second run of the inning with the lead runner sliding in just under the tag at the plate. Southern Miss escaped any further damage with a groundout to the pitcher and a popup to short.
WKU's pitcher Hannah Parker was able to keep the Golden Eagles out of the hit column until the seventh inning. Holifield led off the inning with a single to center field to prevent the no-hitter. Parker finished the game allowing one hit in a complete game effort with a pair of walks, a hit batter, and six strikeouts.
