Softball Travels to Nicholls for Midweek Clash

HATTIESBURG, Miss.-Southern Miss Softball prepares for the first of two scheduled matches against Nicholls this season, facing the Colonels tomorrow in Thibodaux, La. at 6 p.m.

Game 27: Southern Miss (12-14, 1-2 Sun Belt) at Nicholls (16-13, 4-2 Southland)
Wednesday, March 20 at 6 p.m. CT
Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park
Live Stats: https://smttt.info/4coaIK0

Southern Miss began conference play in the Sun Belt last weekend, dropping a home series versus Louisiana Monroe.

The Golden Eagles started the week with a 6-1 win against ULM Saturday in its first home game in over a month. However, ULM rebounded in the second game of the doubleheader with a 7-3 victory, and ended the weekend with a 3-0 shutout Sunday evening to decide the series.

Southern Miss Notables

Jana Lee and Maddie Weeks returned to the lineup for the first time since February, starting in all three matches versus ULM. Lee led the Golden Eagles with a .556 batting average in her return, fielding five hits, including a double, batting in two runs. Lee also threw a complete game in the circle Sunday.

Holly Craft also made her first appearance in the circle since February, throwing three shutout innings in the second game versus the Warhawks Saturday, allowing one hit and one walk.

Hannah Borden also matched Lee's high of five hits, adding a team-high three runs and two solo home runs. Borden hit both home runs in the second game on Saturday, bringing her career total to 40, just one shy of tying Megan Hill's all-time program record. Borden reached 182 career hits Sunday, passing recent Southern Miss alumni Tata Davis' total for the seventh most hits in program history. The graduate student catcher has recorded 35 hits already this season and a Sun Belt-high eight home runs, continuing a career-long 16-game hitting streak.

Loganne Stepp threw her second complete game of the season, and second consecutive complete game on Saturday, leading Southern Miss to a 6-1 victory. Stepp threw a career-high 118 pitches, allowing just three hits, three walks and one earned run.

Scouting Nicholls

Nicholls enters this week with a 16-14 record, following a series loss to McNeese State. The Colonels picked up a 1-0 win against the Cowgirls Friday.

Nicholls is led by third-year head coach Justin Lewis, who is the reigning Southland Conference Coach of the Year.

Molly VandenBout leads Nicholls with 28 hits, 19 RBI and five home runs on a .350 batting average. Reagan Heflin also has 27 hits with a team-high 14 runs for the Colonels.

Audrey McNeill and Molly Yoo lead the Colonels' pitching staff with a sub-three ERA and combined 12 wins. McNeill paces the team with 56 strikeouts.

Nicholls Series History

Nicholls leads the all-time series 43-17, but Southern Miss has taken the last three matches, including two last season.

The Golden Eagles will play Nicholls again this season on April 3 at the Southern Miss Softball Complex.

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

University of Southern Mississippi Athletics

Softball Travels to Nicholls for Midweek Clash

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Players Mentioned

Hannah Borden

Holly Craft

Jana Lee

Loganne Stepp

Maddie Weeks

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