University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Softball Looks to Open Season at McNeese State
2/8/2017 12:00:00 AM | Softball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The Southern Miss softball team opens up the 2017 season, Thursday, at McNeese State in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The Golden Eagles begin their third season under the direction of head coach Wendy Hogue. Game time is set for 6 p.m.
The Golden Eagles take a Cowgirl squad, which finished 43-14 overall and 23-4 in conference play, while reaching the NCAA Regionals last season. Southern Miss, who finished 30-28 overall with a 14-10 mark in Conference USA play, enjoyed its first winning season since 2004 are looking to continue those winning ways in 2017.
The Black and Gold returns 15 letterwinners off of the 2016 team, including six starters in the field and three starting pitchers. Southern Miss has eight seniors - Lauren Holifield, Tori Dew, Danielle Block, Tori Rouse, Selena Estrada, Rachel Johnson, Arielle Pollock and Bailey Stokes -- which enter their final season as a Golden Eagle.
The Golden Eagles also welcome seven newcomers into the fold, including four transfers - Kim Crowson, a pitcher from Shelton State CC, Caitlyn Aldous an outfielder from East Central CC, Chase Nelson, an infielder coming from Missouri, and Peyton Carter, a pitcher coming from Arkansas. Nelson and Carter, who were teammates at Paragould High School, are excited to be back in the diamond together.
The Southern Miss softball team is scheduled to play a 54-game schedule that includes 26 games at the Southern Miss Softball Complex. In addition, the Golden Eagles will play 11 games against seven different teams that played in NCAA Regionals last season.
Fans can follow live stats here or follow @SouthernMissSB for updates.
