Sunday, February 20
Hattiesburg, Miss.
2 p.m.
Southern Miss
8-4
8
vs
1
ULM
9-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
ULM
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
6
3
Southern Miss
0
4
0
0
0
4
X
8
10
2
Southern Miss Closes Weekend with 8-1 Win Over ULM
2/20/2022 6:24:00 PM | Softball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Four runs in both the second and sixth innings propelled the Southern Miss softball team past the ULM Warhawks in the final game of the Golden Eagle Invitational. The Black & Gold increased its win streak to four games following the 8-1 win on Sunday afternoon.
Junior pitcher Morgan Leinstock racked up 120 total pitches in a complete game victory, her fourth of the year. Sophomore Natalie Hurdle recorded the first two runs of the 2022 season and recorded two hits in her three plate appearances, while graduate Destini Brown recorded two hits and a stolen base, her 10th of the season and 91st of her Golden Eagle career.
Following a scoreless first frame, Maria Smith recorded an RBI triple to get the scoring going for the Golden Eagles. An error from the Warhawks brought the Edwardsville, Ill. native home, which was followed by a single from Brown, which brought in another run, extending the lead to three.Â
After a Tata Davis single, a wild pitch gave Natalie Hurdle her first run of the season to give Southern Miss a 4-0 lead heading into the top of third. Leinstock held strong in the circle, refusing to concede a run through the first four innings.
ULM got on the board in the top of the fifth to cut the Golden Eagles' lead to three. After another scoreless frame from Southern Miss, Leinstock and Southern Miss' defense held strong in the sixth to hold the lead.
The defensive efforts of Southern Miss were rewarded in the bottom of the sixth, as the floodgates opened for the Black & Gold's offense. A pitching change from ULM could stop the Golden Eagles, as Davis batted in Hurdle and pinch runner Scout Jennings to bring her squad's advantage to five runs.Â
More insurance would come later in the inning, as Hannah Borden and Jana Lee brought home Davis and Brown on consecutive fielder's choice situations. Southern Miss held a commanding seven run lead heading into the top of the seventh.
Leinstock sent three of ULM's first four batters back to pick up her fourth win of the season and her third of the week. The Scottsdale, Ariz. native allowed just one run while striking out six batters and forcing eight groundouts.
Southern Miss finished the Golden Eagle Invitational with a record of 4-1, the best of the five programs that competed in the competition. The Black & Gold also finished the week with six wins, including a pair of victories in Baton Rouge, La. on Wednesday against the Southern Jaguars.Â
Up Next:
Southern Miss heads to Oxford, Miss. for a Tuesday matinee against the Ole Miss Rebels. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. and fans can catch the action on SECN+.Â
The Golden Eagles then return to the Southern Miss Softball Complex for the Hub City Challenge, set to take place from Friday, Feb. 25 to Sunday, Feb. 27.
For the latest information on Golden Eagle Softball, follow the program on Facebook (facebook.com/SouthernMissSB), Twitter (@SouthernMissSB) and Instagram (@southernmisssb).
Â
Junior pitcher Morgan Leinstock racked up 120 total pitches in a complete game victory, her fourth of the year. Sophomore Natalie Hurdle recorded the first two runs of the 2022 season and recorded two hits in her three plate appearances, while graduate Destini Brown recorded two hits and a stolen base, her 10th of the season and 91st of her Golden Eagle career.
Following a scoreless first frame, Maria Smith recorded an RBI triple to get the scoring going for the Golden Eagles. An error from the Warhawks brought the Edwardsville, Ill. native home, which was followed by a single from Brown, which brought in another run, extending the lead to three.Â
After a Tata Davis single, a wild pitch gave Natalie Hurdle her first run of the season to give Southern Miss a 4-0 lead heading into the top of third. Leinstock held strong in the circle, refusing to concede a run through the first four innings.
ULM got on the board in the top of the fifth to cut the Golden Eagles' lead to three. After another scoreless frame from Southern Miss, Leinstock and Southern Miss' defense held strong in the sixth to hold the lead.
The defensive efforts of Southern Miss were rewarded in the bottom of the sixth, as the floodgates opened for the Black & Gold's offense. A pitching change from ULM could stop the Golden Eagles, as Davis batted in Hurdle and pinch runner Scout Jennings to bring her squad's advantage to five runs.Â
More insurance would come later in the inning, as Hannah Borden and Jana Lee brought home Davis and Brown on consecutive fielder's choice situations. Southern Miss held a commanding seven run lead heading into the top of the seventh.
Leinstock sent three of ULM's first four batters back to pick up her fourth win of the season and her third of the week. The Scottsdale, Ariz. native allowed just one run while striking out six batters and forcing eight groundouts.
Southern Miss finished the Golden Eagle Invitational with a record of 4-1, the best of the five programs that competed in the competition. The Black & Gold also finished the week with six wins, including a pair of victories in Baton Rouge, La. on Wednesday against the Southern Jaguars.Â
Up Next:
Southern Miss heads to Oxford, Miss. for a Tuesday matinee against the Ole Miss Rebels. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. and fans can catch the action on SECN+.Â
The Golden Eagles then return to the Southern Miss Softball Complex for the Hub City Challenge, set to take place from Friday, Feb. 25 to Sunday, Feb. 27.
For the latest information on Golden Eagle Softball, follow the program on Facebook (facebook.com/SouthernMissSB), Twitter (@SouthernMissSB) and Instagram (@southernmisssb).
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Leinstock, Morgan (4-1)
L: Kackley, Kinsey (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Johnson, Kennedy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kreps, Korie 1
CS: Bacon, Lourdes 1 ; Kreps, Korie 1
Batting:
2B: Lee, Jana 1
3B: Smith, Maria 1
RBI: Brown, Destini 1 ; Davis, Tata 2 ; Borden, Hannah 1 ; Lee, Jana 1 ; Smith, Maria 1 ; Taylor, Natalie 1
SH: Taylor, Natalie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brown, Destini 1 ; Davis, Tata 1 ; Lee, Jana 1 ; Smith, Maria 1 ; Taylor, Natalie 1 ; Jennings, Scout 1 ; Hurdle, Natalie 2
SB: Brown, Destini 1 ; Holeman, Columbia 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
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Letter to Softball: Maria Smith
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