Lee's Grand Slam and Career-High 11 Strikeouts Propel Softball Past Southeastern

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Senior designated player and pitcher Jana Lee delivered a standout performance Wednesday night, leading Southern Miss (8-12, 0-0 Sun Belt) to a 6-2 victory over Southeastern for the team's first win against the Lady Lions in eight seasons.

Just days after tossing a complete-game against Jacksonville State, Lee once again controlled the game, erupting for a career-high 11 strikeouts. She threw 128 pitches, allowing six hits, one walk, and no earned runs en route to her fourth win of the season.

"I wanted to make sure our energy was high as a team," Lee said. "Every pitch, I focused on making it my best, and I was getting a lot of swing-and-misses. That's all you can ask for as a pitcher."

Lee also provided the game's biggest moment at the plate, crushing her first career grand slam and first home run of the season over the centerfield wall in the first inning.

"I knew with the bases loaded and one out, I had to get something going," Lee said. "I didn't let the moment get too big, trusted my teammates, and just swung at the pitch."

A year after falling to Southeastern 6-2 in Hammond, La., Lee's four-RBI blast proved to be the difference, securing Southern Miss' first win over the Lady Lions since 2017 and first at home since 2016.

"We knew they were a fast team on the basepaths," Lee added. "But we didn't let them speed us up. We stuck to our game and came out with the win."

Southern Miss wasted no time setting the tone. Consecutive singles from Hannah Christian and Maddie Weeks, followed by a fielder's choice sacrifice bunt from Abbi Troquille, loaded the bases. A Southeastern error brought home the game's first run before Lee's grand slam capped off a five-run first inning.

Defensively, the Golden Eagles held the Lady Lions scoreless through five innings, turning two double plays to end the second and fourth as Lee tied her previous career-best eight strikeouts. Weeks added insurance to Southern Miss' lead in the fifth, running home on a double and two Southeastern errors.

Southeastern managed two late runs on Southern Miss miscues in the sixth and seventh, but Lee finished strong, striking out three batters in the final frame to secure the win.

Notes

Lee's 11 strikeouts marked a career-high and the most by a Southern Miss pitcher since Morgan Leinstock struck out 13 batters at Georgia State on May 6, 2023.
Lee has thrown five complete games this season, posting a 4-1 record in those outings.
Weeks extended her hitting streak to seven games, the longest of her Southern Miss career and the team's current longest active streak.
Southern Miss became just the third team this season to hold Southeastern without a stolen base, joining LSU and Florida State. The Lady Lions entered the match ranked seventh in the nation with 3.53 stolen bases per game.

Up Next

Southern Miss hosts the Golden Eagle Classic this weekend, facing Maryland-Eastern Shore and North Dakota State. The Golden Eagles open tournament play Thursday at 7 p.m. against UMES.

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