Southern Miss’ softball team secured only one win out of three games in Ruston this weekend.
The Golden Eagles took on Louisiana Tech in three straight games this weekend. Southern Miss went into the weekend at an even 6-6 on the season and lost their previous matchup against LA Tech 8-3.
Friday’s matchup started the weekend off well for the Golden Eagles. Carrie Green got Southern Miss started with the first hit of the game in the first inning, but the team couldn’t secure a run and left the field without a point. The LA Tech Bulldogs returned with a hit by Cali Bennett, but the Golden Eagles secured three straight outs to keep the game scoreless for either team.
The game remained scoreless until the fourth inning when LA Tech secured the first run of the game. At the top of the fifth, Southern Miss got their first points of the game after Madison Johnson’s hit out to center field sent Kinsley Gordon-Sivley to home plate. A hitless fifth inning by LA Tech sent Southern Miss back up to bat, where Gordon-Sivley hit a single to left field that allowed Jadyn Rausch to get the run and take the lead for Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles held out and secured the 2-1 win after a hitless seventh inning for the Bulldogs.
The two teams returned to the field on Saturday, and the Bulldogs came out of the dugout with some fire. A big three-run first inning by LA Tech gave them an early lead. They followed up with a two-run inning in the third inning, taking a 5-0 lead before the Golden Eagles got their first hit. The Golden Eagles finally got a hit in the fifth inning after Abbi Troquille hit a single, but the team struck out that inning without a point as well. Another three-run inning at the bottom of the fifth inning pushed their lead to eight, sealing the loss for Southern Miss with an 8-0 mercy rule loss.
In the final game on Sunday, the Golden Eagles started out with an early bunt by Hannah Christian to send her to first base. Southern Miss struck out in that inning, but held the Bulldogs to no hits in the first inning to keep the game tied at zero. After a hitless second inning by both teams, the Golden Eagles walked to secure two bases at the top of the third inning before getting struck out.
LA Tech came alive and scored the first run of the game at the bottom of the third. The fourth inning was hitless by both teams, but the Golden Eagles managed to tie the game at the top of the fifth inning as Troquille rounded home plate. The Bulldogs responded with another run to push the Bulldogs to 2-1. A quick hitless sixth inning by the Golden Eagles led to back-to-back scores by LA Tech to push their lead to three.
Down three going into the seventh inning, Troquille managed to secure second base, but the team left the field scoreless in the inning. The 4-1 loss by Southern Miss makes them 7-8 on the season and 1-3 to LA Tech.
