Softball Hits the Road for a Three-Game Series at East Carolina :: Lady Eagles play their first road C-USA series

March 14, 2008

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss hits the road for a three-game series against East Carolina, Mar. 15-16, with a double header Saturday, followed by a single game Sunday.

Southern Miss is coming off a 4-0 win over in-state rival Ole Miss Wednesday night. Samantha Davis pitched a complete game shutout, her second of the season, allowing only three hits in the contest. With the bases leaded, junior Ashlyn Harmon hit a shot down the right field line for a base-clearing triple, giving the Eagles a 3-0 lead. Logan James then singled through the left side, plating Harmon for the fourth run of the inning.

Senior Jennifer Fox paces Southern Miss on offense. The third baseman leads the squad in batting average with a .348 to go along with two home runs and 14 RBIs. Sophomore Megan Hill paces the team in RBIs with 16 to go along with two home runs and a .315 batting average.

Junior catcher Kristin Pilgrim has notched a .257 batting average with two homers and 14 RBIs and senior shortstop Kristin Chaney is at .237 with a four runs driven in.

Five Lady Eagles have posted a 2.81 earned run average as a staff with junior Samantha Davis (5-4) leading the way with a 1.80 ERA and a team-best 38 strikeouts to go along with just 22 walks. Freshman Lana Vaughn is next at 2.06 as she has a pitching mark of 3-3, while fellow freshman Hannah Griffin (2-1) has sported an ERA of 3.36.

East Carolina comes in with a 19-9 record and 2-1 in league play. The Pirates knocked off North Florida 5-3, before falling to No. 20 Georgia 2-1.

Stacey Andrews leads ECU with a batting average of .403 with four homers and 17 RBIs. Six other Pirates are sporting a batting average over .300. Toni Paisley has a team-low ERA of 1.96 with a 4-1 record. Brooke Swann has recorded 10 wins against seven losses and has an ERA of 2.61. ECU staff has struck out 118 batters.

Following this weekend's play, the Lady Eagles return home for a Wednesday, March 18, game against nationally ranked Mississippi State. Game time is set for 6 p.m., at Southern Miss Softball Complex.