Sunday, February 9
Clearwater, Fla. / Eddie C. Moore Complex
9 a.m.
Southern Miss
1-4
1
vs
2
Northwestern
3-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Northwestern
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
6
1
Southern Miss
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
2
3
Softball Falls Short in Pitcher's Duel Against No. 20 Northwestern
2/9/2025 12:13:00 PM | Softball
CLEARWATER, Fla.-Southern Miss battled through seven innings against No. 20 Northwestern Sunday morning in the final day of the NFCA Leadoff Classic, but ultimately fell 2-1 after a late Wildcats home run .
With the score locked at one apiece entering the seventh inning, Ayana Lindsey pushed the Wildcats ahead with a solo home run on the first pitch and Northwestern's defense prevented any runs in the following frame on the way to their third win at the NFCA Leadoff Classic.Â
The match featured an intense pitcher's duel between Jana Lee and Northwestern's Riley Grudzielanek, who both threw for the entirety of the game. Grudzielanek earned her first win of the season, allowing two hits, one earned run, three walks with one strikeout.
Meanwhile, Lee, who threw a complete game in Friday night's win against Marshall, returned to the circle to register her 15th career complete game. Lee tossed over 100 pitches and allowed six hits, one earned run and two walks with four strikeouts. Through her first two performances of the season, the senior pitcher and designated player boasts a 1.29 ERA with only two earned runs allowed to a total of 11 strikeouts.
While Lee and the Golden Eagles held Northwestern scoreless for five consecutive innings, errors made in the first inning proved costly, as the Wildcats advanced runners on an error at third base and then scored on a passed ball.
Southern Miss sought an offensive spark and found it in the fifth inning when Ryanna Valdivia drew a walk and advanced on Claire Ginder's sacrifice bunt. Coming off the bench, graduate student Mikaila Fox delivered with an RBI double to left field, bringing home the 1-1 equalizer for the Golden Eagles.
Valdivia earned the team's other hit in the match, coming on a single to center field in the bottom of the seventh. Ginder again advanced her with a sacrifice bunt, but two quick popouts ended the match.
Up Next
Southern Miss returns to Hattiesburg to host its first home game of the season Wednesday, Feb. 12 versus Ole Miss.
For the latest information on Southern Miss Softball, follow the program on Facebook (facebook.com/SouthernMissSB), Twitter (@SouthernMissSB) and Instagram (@southernmisssb).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Grudzielanek, Riley (1-2)
L: Lee, Jana (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Nieto, Grace 1
HR: Lindsey, Ayana 1
RBI: Lindsey, Ayana 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nader, Kelsey 1 ; Lindsey, Ayana 1
SB: Cunnea, Izzy 1
HBP: Avvisato, Kaylie 1
Batting:
2B: Fox, Mikaila 1
RBI: Fox, Mikaila 1
SH: Taylor, Natalie 1 ; Ginder, Claire 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Allen, Shelby 1
SB: Green, Carrie 1
HBP: Lee, Jana 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
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