University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss
Stephen F. Austin
Softball Splits Doubleheader with Stephen F. Austin
2/22/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The Southern Miss softball team split a doubleheader with Stephen F. Austin on Wednesday evening at the Softball Complex. The Golden Eagles (6-6) posted a 5-3 victory in game one, before dropping a 5-0 decision to the Ladyjacks (3-9) in game two.
On the day, the Black and Gold tallied 11 hits, including a triple by Caitlyn Aldous. Samantha Papp had a pair of hits on the day. Papp and Lauren Holifield led the way with two RBI apiece. Chase Nelson, Selena Estrada, Kaelyn Christofferson, Rachel Johnson, Papp and Holifield all had earned runs today.
In the circle, Southern Miss used a trio of pitchers on the day. Jillian Johnson earned the start in first game, tossing a complete game in game one. Johnson finished the day 1-0 allowing two run on seven hits with one walk and one strikeout in 7.0 innings of work. Samantha Robles got the start in game two. The redshirt junior worked 2.0 innings allowing four runs on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Robles was relieved by Kim Crowson who pitched 5.0 innings allowing one run on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts
The Golden Eagles hit the road for a three-game series with Jacksonville State starting with a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 25, first pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. Live stats and in-game tweets (@SouthernMissSB) will be available throughout the game, while Josh West on 1400 AM will be live broadcasting the Sunday game.
Southern Miss 6 Stephen F. Austin 2
The Southern Miss softball team scored three runs in back-to-back innings to take control of the first game of a doubleheader with SFA and cruised to a 6-2 victory. The win was the first game the two teams met on a softball diamond that wasn't neutral ground.
SFA was the first team to scratch the scoreboard. The Ladyjacks, Brittany Lewis, hit a single homerun to left field for the lone run of the inning.
The Golden Eagles responded in the third inning with a three-run inning. Christofferson got things started with a one-out single to left field. With two outs, Nelson singled up the middle of the infield, advancing Christofferson to second. Papp singled to right field that advanced to second on the throw. Nelson moved up to third and that brought Christofferson home. Dew reached base on an error by the centerfielder; Papp and Nelson scored, bringing the score 3-0.
SFA couldn't answer in the top of the fourth; the Ladyjacks went three up, three down. The Golden Eagles added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Estrada was walked to give the Black and Gold a base runner. R. Johnson singled to advance Estrada to second. Holifield hit a single to left field allowing Estrada and Johnson to bring it home. Score now 5-1. With two outs, Nelson was walked, Holifield advanced to second. Papp had her second hit of the game, a single to right field; Nelson advanced to second, Holfield scored. The Ladyjacks advanced Papp and Nelson on an illegal pitch but got out of the inning before the Golden Eagles could score again.
The Ladyjacks tried to rally in the top of the sixth with two doubles but J. Johnson and the Golden Eagle defense stopped the Ladyjacks from coming back.
Stephen F. Austin 5 Southern Miss 0
In game two, Southern Miss fell behind early and was unable to mount a comeback, dropping a 5-0 decision against SFA.
The Ladyjacks broke out in the third inning. Kiriany Hornberger, Amber Landry, Tanna Huie, and Lauren Becker all registered hits for the Ladyjacks in the third inning, to put them up 5-0. A five-run inning was just enough for SFA to take the win.
The Golden Eagles tried to rally but ended the night with three hits in the second game one coming from Holifield, Tori Dew and Aldous.
