Southern Miss
UTSA
Robles Pitches Softball to Game 1 Win
4/9/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Box Score (Game 1) | Box Score (Game 1) 
Box Score (Game 2) | Box Score (Game 2)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- The Southern Miss softball team split a Conference USA doubleheader with UTSA on Saturday afternoon at Roadrunner Field in San Antonio, Texas. The Golden Eagles used a stellar performance in the circle by Samantha Robles to claim game one 3-1, but costly mistakes in game two led to a 7-4 win for the Roadrunners to even the series.
Robles tossed a complete game en route to her 11th win of the season. She surrendered a leadoff single to start the game. From there, the Texas City native kept the home team off of the scoreboard as Robles retired the next 20 batters in order. She notched five 1-2-3 innings in the game. The second and only other base hit she allowed was a two-out solo home run in the seventh inning. She closed out the game with a strikeout looking. Robles did not allow a walk and notched three strikeouts, including the backwards K to close the game.
In game two, Southern Miss used a pair of pitchers. Jillian Johnson earned the start and was charged with the loss. The sophomore surrendered six runs (zero earned runs) on four hits and a walk in 1.2 innings of work. She gave way to Danielle Block who tossed the final 4.1 innings, allowing a run on five hits.
Offensively, the Golden Eagles batted nearly .300 on the day, notching a .296 clip as a team. The team combined to go 16-for-54 with three doubles and a home run. The Black and Gold scored seven runs on the day with seven RBI. Lauren Holifield, Morgan McKeever, and Katie Cleary paced the squad with three hits apiece, while Rachel Johnson added a pair of base knocks. Holifield led the team with three RBI, while Holifield and R. Johnson each scored a team-high two runs. McKeever notched two doubles on the day with Selena Estrada also hitting a two-bagger. Holifield increased her team lead in home runs with a dinger in game one.
The series finale is slated for 1:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at Roadrunner Field. Live stats, live video, and in-game tweets (@SouthernMissSB) will be available throughout the game.
Game 1 Recap -- Softball Uses Pitching and Clutch Hitting to Defeat UTSA, 3-1
Southern Miss surrendered a leadoff single in the bottom of the first, but then saw Robles retire 20 consecutive batters to keep UTSA off the scoreboard for the first six innings.
The Golden Eagles were the first team to score, plating a run in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, R. Johnson singled to shallow left center field. She moved to second base as Arielle Pollock dropped down a sacrifice bunt. McKeever followed with a RBI double off of the center field wall to score R. Johnson from second base to give the Black and Gold a 1-0 lead.
Southern Miss added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning. Cleary singled to left center field to start the inning. Samantha Reynolds entered the game to run at first base. She was driven home as Holifield belted her team-leading eighth home run of the season to extend the Golden Eagles' lead to 3-0.
UTSA broke up the shutout in the bottom of the seventh inning. With two outs, the Roadrrunners' Chelsea Thomas hit solo home run to center field, breaking up Robles' consecutive batters retired streak at 20 -- the longest of the season for the Golden Eagles. Robles closed out the game as she caught the next batter looking at strike three.
Game 2 Recap -- Miscues Costly as Softball Falls to UTSA
UTSA benefited from a pair of errors that led to six unearned runs to claim a 7-4 victory in game two over Southern Miss to even the series.
The Roadrunners used a double to right center to place a runner on base. The next batter dropped down a bunt to try to move the runner to third. The Golden Eagles elected to go to third to retire the lead runner, but the ball, which was in plenty of time, was dropped, leaving both runners safe on the corners. Southern Miss used a line out to third for the first out of the inning. A single scored the lead runner and left runners on first and second. The second out of the inning came on a fielder's choice that left runners on the corners. A second error of the inning allowed a run to score and left the home team with a pair of runners on base. UTSA's Kendall Burton increased the lead with a three-run home run to right center field. Randee Crawford followed with a solo home run to increase the home team's advantage to 6-0 with each run being unearned.
UTSA extended its advantage with a run in the third inning. The leadoff batter singled and the Roadrunners' pinch runner stole second. A groundout moved the runner to third base. With two outs, UTSA used a RBI single to score the run and take a 7-0 lead.
Southern Miss chipped into the UTSA lead in the sixth inning. Estrada entered the game to pinch hit to lead off the inning. The junior hit a double off of the wall in the left center field gap. R. Johnson re-entered to run at second base. She moved to third on a groundout and came around to score on a Holifield single. A wild pitch moved Holifield into scoring position. Cleary followed with a single up the middle to give the Golden Eagles runners on the corners. Reynolds entered the game to run at first for Cleary. Tori Dew singled up the middle, scoring Holifield easily. Reynolds, being aggressive, was thrown out at third base for the second out of the inning. Sydney Pollock entered to run at first for Dew. Samantha Papp singled giving Southern Miss a pair of base runners. Sarah Evans continued the inning with a RBI single through the right side of the infield, scoring S. Pollock. UTSA went to the bullpen, but the pitcher hit Bailey Stokes with a pitch, loading the bases. Michelle Stringer continued the merry-go-round with a RBI single through the left side of the infield. The Roadrunners used a groundout for the final out of the inning, but the Golden Eagles scored four runs to close the gap to 7-4.
The Black and Gold's comeback attempt in the final inning was thwarted and Southern Miss dropped a 7-4 decision to set up the rubber match on Sunday.
