A massive five-run inning for the Golden Eagles ensured their comeback victory versus Southeast Missouri State’s Redhawks to conclude the Black and Gold Challenge.
Southern Miss’s final game of the season-opening Black and Gold challenge had them facing off against Southeast Missouri State. The Golden Eagles were coming off an eight-to-three loss to Louisiana Tech to put them at two wins and one loss in the challenge.
Southern Miss opened up the top of the first inning with a double play, getting two of SEMU’s runners out to keep them scoreless for the inning. SEMU returned the favor by keeping Southern Miss scoreless after three straight grounded catches at first base.
After opening the second inning with a caught foul-ball leading to SEMU’s Lilly Blagoue going out, Aubrie Shore hit a single that sent her to first base. Gracie Luna took to the plate and sent the ball out of the left field for a homerun to take an early two-to-nothing lead for SEMU. Southern Miss got their first hit after catcher Kayce Bennett hit a single to first base. Southern Miss ended up striking out the rest of the inning, and the two-to-nothing lead remained in SEMU’s favor.
By the end of the 5th inning, the score remained the same. Hits continued to be sparse for either team as Southern Miss combined for just two hits in the third, fourth, and fifth innings. SEMU was not fairing any better as they had two more hits in the third, but could not get another one for the remainder of the game.
Then came the bottom of the sixth inning, and the Golden Eagles took over. Bennett hit a single to claim first base before Adryan Cox came in to run for Bennett. Cox stole second base and Issie Coker walked to first after her fourth ball. SEMU substituted pitcher Maddie Carney in for Willow Van Haren and Jadyn Rausch was up to bat at home plate.
Rasuch got a hit and got Cox to third base and Coker to second, but ended up out at first. Katalina Ybarra stepped up to the plate and sent the ball down past third base. Cox and Coker both rounded home plate and Ybarra secured the double by rounding to second base. In one play, the Golden Eagles had tied up the game. Julia Glasgow stepped up and hit another double for the Golden Eagles, loading up Ybarra at third base and Glasgow at second.
All but one base loaded for the Golden Eagles, and in came Nealy McManus. McManus got a massive hit straight down center-right field and managed to swing all the way around to third for the triple, sending Ybarra and Glasgow home to double up the score four-to-two. Hannah Christian came in and sent the ball to center field to secure first base and send McManus home for the Golden Eagle’s Fifth run of the inning.
The top of the seventh inning began, and the Golden Eagles led by three. Kayla Giardina took over as pitcher and finished off the Redhawks with back-to-back strikeouts to SEMU’s Raigan Brannon and Lily Delmain.
Southern Miss finished the Black and Gold challenge with a five-to-two victory, leaving them with three wins and one loss to start the season. They will be back at it on the road as they take on Mississippi State in Starkville.
