Friday, February 28
Hattiesburg, Miss. / Southern Miss Softball Complex
11:30 a.m.
Southern Miss
vs
Jacksonville State
Softball Hosts Black & Gold Challenge
2/27/2025 8:30:00 AM | Softball
HATTIESBURG, Miss.-Southern Miss Softball welcomes Jacksonville State, University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Lamar University and Louisiana Tech to the Black & Gold Challenge at the Southern Miss Softball Complex this weekend. A total of 12 games will be played in the tournament, featuring five home games for the Golden Eagles.Â
Black & Gold Challenge Schedule
Friday, Feb. 28
The tournament will be Southern Miss's first home tournament since 2023, when the team opened the season with a 12-1 record across three home tournaments. That season, head coach Natalie Poole became the first first-year coach in program history to lead the Golden Eagles to a 4-0 start.
The Black & Gold Challenge will begin a ten-game homestand for the Golden Eagles, the longest stretch of the season and longest since the start of the 2023 season, when Southern Miss played 13 straight home games.
The Golden Eagles finished the 2024 home slate with a 10-6 record, marking the third consecutive season that the team has recorded a .500 or better standing at the Southern Miss Softball Complex, the longest streak since 2008-2010. So far, the Golden Eagles have started their 2025 home campaign 2-0, with a historic home opener victory against SEC opponent Ole Miss and a midweek triumph over Jackson State.
Southern Miss returns home from a tough nonconference slate on the road to start the season, facing four nationally-ranked opponents (Nebraska, Northwestern, Arkansas, LSU) at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, Louisiana Tech Tournament, and most recently, the LSU Invitational.Â
The Golden Eagles picked up one win in Baton Rouge, La., earning their first shutout in over 20 games with a 7-0 victory over Nicholls Friday afternoon. Jana Lee earned the win in a complete game shutout performance, backed up by the Golden Eagles' season-high ten hits offensively.Â
Southern Miss Notes
Freshman outfielder and leadoff hitter Hannah Christian has maintained a team-high .324 batting average this season, producing a team-high 12 hits. Christian has also stolen six bases, the fifth most in the Sun Belt this season. Christian recorded a career-high three hits last weekend in Southern Miss' win over Nicholls, becoming the second Golden Eagle this season with three hits in a game.
Senior infielder Maddie Weeks led the Golden Eagles with five hits at the LSU Invitational this weekend, notching consecutive multi-hit games against Nicholls and LSU Friday. Weeks' 17 total bases and 12 RBI lead the Golden Eagles.
Redshirt freshman catcher Kayce Bennett, Live Oak High School's all-time home run record holder, recorded her first collegiate round-tripper Saturday at No. 5 LSU with a three-run shot over right field against the Tigers. Bennett has recorded six hits this season and her five walks are tied with Christian and Lee for the most on the team.
Scouting the Competition
Jacksonville State
Jacksonville State is led by first-year head coach Julie Boland, a former player at the program and 23-year assistant to long-time coach Jana McGinnis.Â
Pitcher Kat Carter is the reigning Conference USA Pitcher of the Week following her performance at the Rocket City Showcase. Carter made a pair of starts last weekend, earning a career-high 14 strikeouts in a win over JMU Thursday and earning a ranked win in a complete game, seven-strikeout showing against Mississippi State. The senior finished the week with a 1.31 ERA and 22 strikeouts and boasts a 5-0 record on the season. Her 0.78 ERA leads the C-USA and her 38 strikeouts follows LA Tech's Allie Floyd for the most in the conference.
Emma Elrod leads the Gamecocks with 19 hits and 13 RBI, maintaining a .357 average through 14 games.
Series History
Southern Miss leads the all-time series against Jacksonville State 17-7 with a 9-4 record at home. The Gamecocks won the last meeting 9-7 last season at Jana McGinnis Field in Jacksonville, Ala.
UAPB
UAPB is led by seventh-year head coach Michael Bumpers.
The Golden Lions lead the SWAC with 54 strikeouts. Kayla Adams, who was named First-Team All-SWAC and the Co-Freshman of the Year in 2024, leads the Golden Lions with a 3.89 ERA through five appearances with a team-high 29 strikeouts.Â
Adams also leads UAPB with a .400 batting average, producing six hits and scoring a team-high four runs. Ariana Gonzalez leads the team with nine hits.
Series History
Southern Miss leads the all-time series against UAPB 6-0, last winning 7-1 in 2023 at home.Â
Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech is led by fourth-year head coach Josh Taylor, who has led the program to three consecutive 30-plus win seasons, and won the Conference USA Coach of the Year award in 2022 and 2024.
The Bulldogs earned their second ranked win of the season for the first time since 2018, defeating No. 17 Auburn 5-1 to open the Rocket City Showcase last weekend.
Claire Raley paces the Bulldogs with a .405 batting average and a.738 slugging percentage, producing a team-high 17 hits, 13 RBI and 15 runs scored.
Louisiana Tech is led in the circle by Allie Floyd, who has posted a 3.18 ERA through nine appearances with a 6-3 record. Floyd has thrown over 50 innings, giving up 47 hits, 16 walks, 23 earned runs with a conference-high 51 strikeouts. The junior earned a win in her performance against the Golden Eagles earlier this season, fanning seven batters in four innings.Â
Series History
Louisiana Tech leads the all-time series 35-18 with five consecutive wins, including one this season at the LA Tech Classic. The Golden Eagles last won against the Bulldogs on May 2, 2021 in Hattiesburg.
Lamar
Lamar is led by seventh-year head coach Amy Hooks.
Jayne Sepulveda and Veronica Harrison lead the Cardinals with 14 hits each. Harrison paces the team with a .400 batting average and .686 slugging percentage, also leading the team with 12 RBI, four doubles and two home runs and 24 total bases.
Madison Guidry leads Lamar in the circle with three wins, maintaining a 3.48 ERA through 20 innings pitched, giving up 14 hits and eight earned runs with nine strikeouts. Reagan Smith leads the team with 15 strikeouts through 29 innings pitched.
Series History
Southern Miss has met Lamar once in the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Ala. in 2015, winning 5-2. This will be the first time the Cardinals have played in Hattiesburg.
For the latest information on Southern Miss Softball, follow the program on Facebook (facebook.com/SouthernMissSB), Twitter (@SouthernMissSB) and Instagram (@southernmisssb).
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Black & Gold Challenge Schedule
Friday, Feb. 28
- 9:00 AM – Lamar vs. Jacksonville State
- 11:30 AM – Jacksonville State at Southern Miss (ESPN+)
- 2:00 PM – UAPB at Southern Miss (ESPN+)
- 4:30 PM – Lamar vs. LA Tech
- 7:00 PM – LA Tech vs. UAPB
- 9:00 AM – Jacksonville State vs. Lamar
- 11:30 AM – LA Tech vs. Southern Miss (ESPN+)
- 2:00 PM – Jacksonville State vs. UAPB
- 4:30 PM – Lamar vs. Southern Miss (ESPN+)
- 7:00 PM – LA Tech vs. UAPB
- 10:00 AM – Jacksonville State vs. Southern Miss (ESPN+)
- 12:30 PM – LA Tech vs. Lamar
The tournament will be Southern Miss's first home tournament since 2023, when the team opened the season with a 12-1 record across three home tournaments. That season, head coach Natalie Poole became the first first-year coach in program history to lead the Golden Eagles to a 4-0 start.
The Black & Gold Challenge will begin a ten-game homestand for the Golden Eagles, the longest stretch of the season and longest since the start of the 2023 season, when Southern Miss played 13 straight home games.
The Golden Eagles finished the 2024 home slate with a 10-6 record, marking the third consecutive season that the team has recorded a .500 or better standing at the Southern Miss Softball Complex, the longest streak since 2008-2010. So far, the Golden Eagles have started their 2025 home campaign 2-0, with a historic home opener victory against SEC opponent Ole Miss and a midweek triumph over Jackson State.
Southern Miss returns home from a tough nonconference slate on the road to start the season, facing four nationally-ranked opponents (Nebraska, Northwestern, Arkansas, LSU) at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, Louisiana Tech Tournament, and most recently, the LSU Invitational.Â
The Golden Eagles picked up one win in Baton Rouge, La., earning their first shutout in over 20 games with a 7-0 victory over Nicholls Friday afternoon. Jana Lee earned the win in a complete game shutout performance, backed up by the Golden Eagles' season-high ten hits offensively.Â
Southern Miss Notes
Freshman outfielder and leadoff hitter Hannah Christian has maintained a team-high .324 batting average this season, producing a team-high 12 hits. Christian has also stolen six bases, the fifth most in the Sun Belt this season. Christian recorded a career-high three hits last weekend in Southern Miss' win over Nicholls, becoming the second Golden Eagle this season with three hits in a game.
Senior infielder Maddie Weeks led the Golden Eagles with five hits at the LSU Invitational this weekend, notching consecutive multi-hit games against Nicholls and LSU Friday. Weeks' 17 total bases and 12 RBI lead the Golden Eagles.
Redshirt freshman catcher Kayce Bennett, Live Oak High School's all-time home run record holder, recorded her first collegiate round-tripper Saturday at No. 5 LSU with a three-run shot over right field against the Tigers. Bennett has recorded six hits this season and her five walks are tied with Christian and Lee for the most on the team.
Scouting the Competition
Jacksonville State
Jacksonville State is led by first-year head coach Julie Boland, a former player at the program and 23-year assistant to long-time coach Jana McGinnis.Â
Pitcher Kat Carter is the reigning Conference USA Pitcher of the Week following her performance at the Rocket City Showcase. Carter made a pair of starts last weekend, earning a career-high 14 strikeouts in a win over JMU Thursday and earning a ranked win in a complete game, seven-strikeout showing against Mississippi State. The senior finished the week with a 1.31 ERA and 22 strikeouts and boasts a 5-0 record on the season. Her 0.78 ERA leads the C-USA and her 38 strikeouts follows LA Tech's Allie Floyd for the most in the conference.
Emma Elrod leads the Gamecocks with 19 hits and 13 RBI, maintaining a .357 average through 14 games.
Series History
Southern Miss leads the all-time series against Jacksonville State 17-7 with a 9-4 record at home. The Gamecocks won the last meeting 9-7 last season at Jana McGinnis Field in Jacksonville, Ala.
UAPB
UAPB is led by seventh-year head coach Michael Bumpers.
The Golden Lions lead the SWAC with 54 strikeouts. Kayla Adams, who was named First-Team All-SWAC and the Co-Freshman of the Year in 2024, leads the Golden Lions with a 3.89 ERA through five appearances with a team-high 29 strikeouts.Â
Adams also leads UAPB with a .400 batting average, producing six hits and scoring a team-high four runs. Ariana Gonzalez leads the team with nine hits.
Series History
Southern Miss leads the all-time series against UAPB 6-0, last winning 7-1 in 2023 at home.Â
Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech is led by fourth-year head coach Josh Taylor, who has led the program to three consecutive 30-plus win seasons, and won the Conference USA Coach of the Year award in 2022 and 2024.
The Bulldogs earned their second ranked win of the season for the first time since 2018, defeating No. 17 Auburn 5-1 to open the Rocket City Showcase last weekend.
Claire Raley paces the Bulldogs with a .405 batting average and a.738 slugging percentage, producing a team-high 17 hits, 13 RBI and 15 runs scored.
Louisiana Tech is led in the circle by Allie Floyd, who has posted a 3.18 ERA through nine appearances with a 6-3 record. Floyd has thrown over 50 innings, giving up 47 hits, 16 walks, 23 earned runs with a conference-high 51 strikeouts. The junior earned a win in her performance against the Golden Eagles earlier this season, fanning seven batters in four innings.Â
Series History
Louisiana Tech leads the all-time series 35-18 with five consecutive wins, including one this season at the LA Tech Classic. The Golden Eagles last won against the Bulldogs on May 2, 2021 in Hattiesburg.
Lamar
Lamar is led by seventh-year head coach Amy Hooks.
Jayne Sepulveda and Veronica Harrison lead the Cardinals with 14 hits each. Harrison paces the team with a .400 batting average and .686 slugging percentage, also leading the team with 12 RBI, four doubles and two home runs and 24 total bases.
Madison Guidry leads Lamar in the circle with three wins, maintaining a 3.48 ERA through 20 innings pitched, giving up 14 hits and eight earned runs with nine strikeouts. Reagan Smith leads the team with 15 strikeouts through 29 innings pitched.
Series History
Southern Miss has met Lamar once in the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Ala. in 2015, winning 5-2. This will be the first time the Cardinals have played in Hattiesburg.
For the latest information on Southern Miss Softball, follow the program on Facebook (facebook.com/SouthernMissSB), Twitter (@SouthernMissSB) and Instagram (@southernmisssb).
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