April 20, 2008

Box Score |Box Score

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Marshall took the rubber game and series over Southern Miss with a 5-2 victory Sunday afternoon at USM Softball Complex.

Southern Miss (23-24, 7-11 C-USA) finished with five hits, but could not get the key hit to spark a big inning to answer the Marshall offense, leaving 12 runners on base.

Marshall (23-26, 10-0) put up nine hits against Samantha Davis (13-8) that led to five runs, all earned. The loss was Davis' first loss in her last eight outings and her first loss at home this season.

Caitlyn Jackson got the win for the Thundering Herd, allowing all five hits and both runs. Autumn Mitchell recorded her second save, working the last three innings allowing no hits and working her way out of bases loaded situation in the bottom of the seventh.

The Lady Eagles went ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning, scoring off a two outs single just past a diving Marcena Bertoldo, who managed to get a glove on the ball, to score Kristin Chaney from second.

Marshall answered with a run in the top of the second after Melanie Stoehr singled to center then advanced to second on a ground out to third. Rachel Schmidt then singled to right, plating Stoehr, and advancing to second on the error by Megan Hill.

The Herd put another run in the third on a solo homer by Rachel Folden over the right field fence.

The Lady Eagles came right back in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at 2-2. Hill started the inning with a single up the middle. Chaney advanced the runner on a sac bunt. Pilgrim then sent a 1-2 pitch up the middle for a single, scoring Hill.

Marshall threatened in the fourth when Stoehr opened the inning with a single and Kelly Nielson followed with a double to center. The Lady Eagles turned their 23rd double play of the season when Allison Bullard was able to get the ball in quickly from the out field on the relay to Chaney, who threw out Stoehr at home and Pilgrim gunned out Nielson trying to get back to second.

With one out, Holly Milner singled to center was moved to second on the sacrifice by Bullard. Hill then received her career-leading sixth intentional walk. Jackson got Chaney to ground out to second to end the inning.

Marshall added a run in the top of the fifth following a two-walk by Folden, then Samantha Rodriguez hit her third double of the series to score Folden from first.

In the bottom of the frame, Southern Miss put runners in scoring position but could get push a run across.

The Herd put two more runs across the plate in seventh when Schmidt opened with a single and moved to second on a sac bunt. Deanna Tourville then doubled to right to score Schmidt. Tourville also came in to score off a single by Rodriguez.

Southern Miss tried to rally in the bottom frame with two outs. Jennifer Fox reached base after being hit by a pitch. Alonzo walked after battling back from a 0-2 count. Lauren Castellvi advanced both runners on an error by the shortstop to load the bases. Meghan Harbuck then come on to pinch hit for Milner and Mitchell got her to fly out to center field.

Southern Miss begins a four-game road swing, traveling to Mississippi State Wednesday, followed by a three-game C-USA series at UTEP Saturday and Sunday. First pitch against State is set for 6:30 p.m.