Softball Splits ULM Doubleheader to Begin Conference Play

Saturday, March 16

Southern Miss Softball Complex

2 p.m.

Southern Miss

12-12, 0

ULM

17-10, 0

Louisiana Monroe

Southern Miss

Softball Splits ULM Doubleheader to Begin Conference Play

3/16/2024 9:23:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

HATTIESBURG, Miss.-Southern Miss Softball (12-13, 1-1 Sun Belt) began its second season of conference play in the Sun Belt by splitting its doubleheader Saturday against Louisiana Monroe (18-10, 1-1 Sun Belt) at the USM Softball Complex.

Game One: Southern Miss 6-ULM 1

Southern Miss started the day with authority, picking up a 6-1 win in its first home game in over a month.

The Golden Eagles were led by the performance of Loganne Stepp, who threw her second complete game of the season, tying a season-high of four strikeouts while only allowing three hits, three walks and one earned run on 118 pitches. Stepp's outing marked consecutive complete games by the junior, who followed a complete performance against UMES last Sunday.

Offensively, Southern Miss was led by two veterans in Hannah Borden and Natalie Taylor, who each belted two hits in the match.

After Stepp retired the side in order to begin the game, Taylor got the Golden Eagles on the board first with a solo home run shot to left field, which bounced off the scoreboard. With her second home run of the season, Taylor also reached ten home run shots in her career.

The Warhawks' Mea Brown responded with an RBI double in the third to tie the game, but Southern Miss continued to reach bases with three hits in the bottom of the inning.

After doubles from Kinsley Gordon and Borden, junior designated player Jana Lee hit an RBI single. The Golden Eagles added another run from a ULM error.

The game marked Lee and junior second basemen Maddie Weeks' first game back in the lineup since February. Weeks drew a game-high two walks, with one coming in Southern Miss' explosive fifth inning.

To leadoff the frame, Borden singled, followed by a walk from Lee and another single by Taylor. With bases loaded after a hit by pitch, Ryanna Valdivia batted in a run with a single. After a fielder's choice allowed Taylor to score, Weeks walked, and Valdivia scored on a wild pitch.

The three-run inning gave Southern Miss the insurance it needed as Stepp threw four consecutive shutout innings to close the game.

Game Two: ULM 7-Southern Miss 3

Southern Miss carried its momentum from the first game into the second of the doubleheader, but a late scoring outburst from the Warhawks spoiled the Golden Eagles' chances of taking the series win on Saturday.

After five shutout innings, ULM plated seven runs with eight hits over the final two to decide the contest. Before the sixth inning, the Golden Eagles' combined efforts from starting pitcher Holly Craft and relief pitching from BrookLynn White had limited the Warhawks to just one hit.

Southern Miss held a 2-0 lead after scoring one run in the first two innings, first scoring on a leadoff home run to left field by Borden. The Golden Eagles then scored in the bottom of the second with a sacrifice fly from Lee.

However, ULM held Southern Miss to the same score as Maddie Nichols worked in the circle, and the Warhawks caught a rhythm heading into the sixth. ULM fired three singles to load the bases, leading to a sacrifice fly and then a three-run home run shot from Maryssa Zenzen, which seized the lead for the Warhwaks.

ULM built upon its advantage in the seventh with three straight singles, driving in three runs for added insurance.

Borden again delivered with a leadoff solo home run to start the bottom of the frame, followed by a third hit of the match from Lee. However, two quick outs and a final strikeout from Nichols closed the opportunity of a comeback for the Golden Eagles.

Up Next:

The Golden Eagles plan to close out the series against ULM on Sunday at 6 p.m., depending on the weather forecast for the area. The program will announce any updates and possible schedule changes on southernmiss.com and Southern Miss Softball's social media platforms.

For the latest information on Southern Miss Softball, follow the program on Facebook (facebook.com/SouthernMissSB), Twitter (@SouthernMissSB) and Instagram (@southernmisssb).