After a 1-2 stretch in a weekend series against Florida Atlantic, Southern Miss could not get a win in non-conference weekday play against South Alabama on Tuesday evening, losing 4-0 to the Jaguars.
The two teams were unable to get much going on offense early on in the game, as the two teams played three scoreless innings to start. Southern Miss had a bases-loaded situation with two outs on the board following a single from Jamie Powell, a walk from Chase Nelson and another walk by Destini Brown. However, no runs scored in the inning after Sarah Van Schaik subsequently flew out to right field.
In the top of the fourth inning, South Alabama got on the board with a solo home run off of Southern Miss starting pitcher Bailie Springfield.
Springfield was replaced by Makenna Pierce in the circle following a double to kick off the fifth inning. South Alabama scored two runs in the inning, one off of a throwing error and another on an RBI double. The Jaguars closed out scoring in the top of the seventh inning on a sacrifice groundout.
Samantha Papp hit a leadoff single to kick off the bottom of the seventh inning for the Golden Eagles, but the team was unable to generate any runs in the final half of the final inning.
Offensively, Southern Miss left seven runners on base in the game and totaled four hits in the contest. Papp, Powell, Alyssa Davis and Madison Rayner were the four Golden Eagles to record a hit.
Springfield recorded the loss in the contest after pitching four innings and allowing two hits, two runs and three walks. Pierce allowed four hits, two runs (one earned), walked four batters and recorded two strikeouts.
“I thought we threw too many balls,” Southern Miss head coach Wendy Hogue said. “I love that they both wanted it out there and they got the ball, but we’re better than [how] we played tonight.
Up next for Southern Miss is a three-game weekend conference series against UTEP. The Miners are currently 7-20 on the season, but Hogue said that it is important for the team to put this loss behind them.
“We’re going to travel all day Friday and then we’ve got to go play three games that matter,” Hogue said. “Wins and losses don’t mean a thing. We’ve won more than we’ve lost and we didn’t play well tonight. We may have to change our game plan.”
Game one in El Paso, Texas is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday.
