University of Louisville
Southern Miss
Softball Falls to Southern Miss in C-USA Doubleheader
May 08, 2004 | Softball
May 8, 2004
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - - A two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning gave host Southern a 4-2 win over the University of Louisville softball team. The Lady Eagles took the second game 6-1 in a Conference USA doubleheader Saturday. It marks the first time this season that Cardinals have lost a C-USA series.
The Cardinals jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Shannon Nord led off the game with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Michelle Vasquez and came home on Lacy Wood's RBI hit.
Southern Miss answered in the bottom half of the inning when Jessica Huerta reached on an error to set up Diane Hammes' two-run homer, giving the Lady Eagles a 2-1 lead.
U of L tied the contest in the fifth when Audrey Rendon delivered an infield single, moved to second on Nord's sacrifice hit and scored when Sara Bausher reached on a two-out error.
With the game still tied at two at the end of regulation, the teams moved into the eighth inning when USM's Ashley Brenan led off with an infield single and stole second. Sarah Boyd delivered a two-out, two-run walk off homer to give the Golden Eagles the 4-2 win.
Louisville starter Aja Sherman (15-4) took the loss, allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits and striking out three in eight innings. The Cardinals were led offensively by Rendon who was 2-for-2 with a run.
USM starter Jessica Hollaway (16-5) picked up the complete game win, allowing two runs, one earned on five hits and striking out four in eight innings.
In the second game, Southern Miss threatened in the bottom of the first inning when Jessica Huerta drew a walk and back-to-back hits by Huertas and Boyd loaded the bases with one out, but Louisville starter Kady Garrick retired the next to batters to get out of the jam.
USM starter Danielle Wymer got out of her own jam in the top of the second when Lisa Estes reached on an error, Courtney Moore walked and Candi Hicks reached on another miscue to load the bases with no outs. She got the next two batters to foul out and line into a double play to end the inning.
Southern Miss broke the scoreless tie in the fourth. When Auriel Jenkins drew a leadoff walk and Ashley Davis hit a long ball over the left field fence to give the Lady Eagles a 2-0 lead.
Diana Hammas' solo shot to left field in the fifth increased the USM lead to 3-0.
With two outs in the sixth, Sue Logan beat the throw on an infield single and took second when Charity Butler was hit by a pitch to set up Heather Bell's three-run homer, giving the Golden Eagles a 6-0 lead.
The Cards averted the shutout in the top of the seventh. Candi Hicks bunted for a single, moved to third on a pinch hit double by Jenn Skaggs and scored on a single by Nord to make it a 6-1 game.
Garrick (17-6) took the loss, allowing three earned runs on three hits in 4.2 innings. Offensively, U of L had eight hits. Hicks was 2-for-2 with a run and a stolen base. Nord went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Louisville falls to 40-14 (19-4).
Wymer (9-6) got the complete game win, allowing one earned run on eight hits. The Lady Eagles were led by Hammes, who was 3-for-3 with a home run.
"I was really pleased with our offense today," said U of L head coach Sandy Pearsall. "We hit the ball well, despite what the scores indicated. Unfortunately, we hit a lot of line drives right at their fielders. We have to credit Southern Miss, they took advantage of our pitching mistakes. It was a good battle today and tomorrow will be another battle between two very good teams."
The teams will meet to close out the regular season Sunday at 2:00 p.m. EDT. The winner of the game will determine the No. 1 seed in the C-USA tournament. U of L will host the 2004 C-USA Tournament May 13-15 at Ulmer Stadium.
