The Southern Miss softball team (15-12, 2-4 C-USA) won one game in a three-game weekend series against Florida Atlantic (14-13, 2-1 C-USA) from March 16-17 at the Southern Miss Softball Complex.
In the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, FAU started the game with a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead.
The Golden Eagles responded as Destini Brown scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by Lacey Sumerlin in the bottom of the sixth inning. However, the Owls extended their lead with an RBI single in the top of the seventh and allowing them to come away with the 3-1 win.
Southern Miss had five hits and two errors while junior pitcher Abby Trahan recorded the loss after allowing three runs on six hits and two walks.
In the second game, Southern Miss jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Sarah Van Schaik hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Chase Nelson to score and give the team an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. In the third inning, Sumerlin hit a sacrifice fly that scored Destini Brown.
The Owls responded with a home run in the top of the fourth inning. The bottom of the fourth inning saw senior Samantha Papp score off of an RBI by Brown. With bases loaded in the top of the sixth inning, FAU was able to score on back-to-back singles, which tied the game up at 3-3. Momentum stayed with FAU as a Southern Miss error allowed one more run to come across the plate and take the lead.
FAU drove in its final run on a bunt to secure a 5-3, series-clinching win.
Kaylan Ladner recorded the loss from the circle allowing four runs off eight hits during her 5.1 innings. Freshman Makenna Pierce took over in the bottom of the sixth inning in the circle giving up one hit and one run before being replaced by junior Bailie Springfield in the top of the seventh.
“I thought after yesterday [we had] two tough games that didn’t go our way. I thought we played okay but we didn’t play well enough to win,” head coach Wendy Hogue said. “Today was a must-win game.”
Southern Miss avoided the sweep and won the final game of the series 2-0.
The Golden Eagles took the lead in the bottom of the first. Brown put herself in scoring position by stealing second and third base. Sumerlin capitalized and drove her in with an RBI single.
The score remained 1-0 until the bottom the third inning as Van Schaik scored drove in Karley Nichols with a sacrifice fly.
Trahan bounced back in the circle with the shutout win. The junior now has a 5-7 record and 1.68 ERA on the season.
“Abby Trahan absolutely dominated in the circle, and when she throws like that, two runs is enough to win a ball game,” Houge said.
Hogue hopes to “get this offense rolling again” for the team’s next home game on March 19 against South Alabama.
“I think we are capable of scoring six to eight runs a game and we haven’t been seeing that,” Hogue said. “Our pitchers need to keep doing what they need to do. Defense is playing well. I think we need to make extra effort plays, they need to become routine for us. We’ve got to start swinging the bats better.”
