Southern Miss Softball Splits Saturday Doubleheader at UTEP

El Paso, Texas – The Southern Miss softball team (16-14, 3-5 C-USA) split Saturday's doubleheader against UTEP (9-21, 3-5 C-USA) at the Helen of Troy Softball Complex in El Paso, Texas.

The Golden Eagles took an 11-3 decision in game one and fell to the Miners, 7-6 in game two.

Game one
Southern Miss wasted no time as they took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning after Samantha Papp drew a bases-loaded walk.

The Golden Eagles picked up their second run of the game in the top of the second inning courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Madison Rayner.

In the top of the third inning, Southern Miss extended their lead, 3-0 when Tata Davis caught the UTEP defense off guard and stole home.

Davis broke the game open one inning later by smacking a grand slam deep over the center field wall, making the score 7-0 in favor of the Golden Eagles.

UTEP scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning after Pamala Baber sent an RBI single down the left field line.

Southern Miss sophomore outfielders Karley Nichols and Destini Brown tacked on two additional insurance runs for the Golden Eagles in the top of the sixth inning after Brown drilled an RBI single back up the middle and Nichols reached on a fielder's choice that allowed a run to score.

Cortney Smith notched the second run of the game for the Miners after hitting a solo home run over the left field wall.

Holding a 9-2 lead entering the top of the seventh inning, Southern Miss cracked double digits thanks to an RBI double to left field from the bat of Lacey Sumerlin and a sacrifice fly to right field from Davis.

UTEP managed to score one more run in the bottom of the seventh inning via a double to right center by Kasey Flores but the final result was an 11-3 victory for Southern Miss.

Southern Miss got a stellar performance in the circle from reigning C-USA Pitcher of the Week Abby Trahan who tossed six innings and allowed two runs (one earned), scattered seven hits, issued one walk and struck out three en route to earning her sixth win of the season.

Game two
Game two started much differently than game one as UTEP jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after Kacey Duffield, Kasey Flores and Pate Cathey recorded RBI doubles.

Tata Davis continued her hot streak at the plate as she drilled an RBI single to center field in the top of the fourth inning to get the Golden Eagles on the scoreboard.

The Miners answered back in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring their fourth run of the game on a fielder's choice from Flores.

Southern Miss made a push in the top of the fifth inning as they cut the scoring deficit to one run thanks to clutch two-out hitting by Chase Nelson and Destini Brown.

Nelson belted an RBI double to the gap in right center and Brown immediately followed with an RBI single up the middle.

UTEP responded once again when they came to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning after Ilena Santos sent an RBI single through the right side, giving UTEP a 5-3 advantage.

With two outs in the top of the sixth inning, Southern Miss made another scoring surge which was led by Brandon, Miss. natives Amber Pack and Karley Nichols.

The former Brandon High School teammates registered back-to-back RBI doubles to even the score, 5-5.

UTEP continued to answer and regained the lead, 6-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly to center field by Cathey.

The Golden Eagles found themselves in a must score situation in the top of the seventh inning and they responded.

Lacey Sumerlin stroked a triple to right center to lead off the top half of the inning and Davis batted her in with an RBI single to left field two batters later, tying the game 6-6.

After UTEP failed to score in the bottom of the seventh inning, the game went into extra innings.

Unfortunately for Southern Miss, UTEP's Corntey Smith who currently leads C-USA in the home runs, sent a solo shot over the left field wall in the bottom of the eighth inning that stayed just fair, giving the Miners an extra-innings walk-off victory.

Game Notes

Sophomore 3B Tata Davis recorded the first grand slam of her Southern Miss career.
Junior SS Lacey Sumerlin collected the first triple of her Southern Miss career.

Southern Miss and UTEP will determine a series winner in Sunday's 1:00 p.m. (CT) series finale.

For all of the latest Southern Miss softball news, fans can follow the official Southern Miss softball Twitter account (@SouthernMissSB), Instagram account (@southernmisssb) and Facebook account (Southern Miss Softball).

Southern Miss Softball Splits Saturday Doubleheader at UTEP

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Team Stats

Lacey Sumerlin

Tata Davis

Samantha Papp

Chase Nelson

Players Mentioned

Destini Brown

Chase Nelson

Karley Nichols

Amber Pack

Samantha Papp

Madison Rayner

Lacey Sumerlin

Abby Trahan

Players Mentioned

Destini Brown

Chase Nelson

Karley Nichols

Amber Pack

Samantha Papp

Madison Rayner

Lacey Sumerlin

Abby Trahan