Box Score USA 10, USM 2 Box
MOBILE, Ala. – Freshman pitcher Hannah Campbell went the distance and carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning to lead the University of South Alabama softball team to a 10-2 five-inning run-rule victory over Southern Miss Wednesday night at Jaguar Field.
“I thought that it was a good win after having some time off,” USA head coach Becky Clark commented. “We swung the bats really well and overall it was a good team win. Hannah threw a good game on the mound carrying a no-hitter into the fifth. Southern Miss is a good offensive ball club, so I thought that she did a great job.”
For Campbell (10-3), it was the Jag left-hander’s 10th complete game of the season. The Satsuma native struck out four batters in the win and didn’t allow a USM ball to leave the infield until the fourth.
Christin Crocker led the Jags (25-6) at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance, scoring two, while driving in four. The Pelham, Ala., native, recorded her seventh home run of the season – tying her with Jenny Stevens for the season lead in the category. Katy Neal was also 1-for-2 at the plate, notching her fifth home run of the season.
USM’S (10-21) Courtney Hill, Chanel Thurman and Mackenzie Sher recorded the three lone hits for the Golden Eagles.
The Jags jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first scoring six runs on five hits. Stevens led off with her sixth double of the season and moved to third on Britany Campbell’s sac bunt. After Brittany Fowler drew a walk to put runners on the corners with two outs, Crocker stepped up to the plate and singled off USM pitcher Courtney Ramos’(1-6) leg to score Stevens. Julie Moss followed with a two-run single just over the first baseman’s head to bring in Fowler and Crocker. Neal then walked and Meghan Collins singled up the middle to load the bases. USA capped off the scoring for the first inning on a Haley Richards’ RBI doubled that went to the left field wall, driving in Neal and Collins and giving the Jaguars a 6-0 advantage.
After sitting Southern Miss down in order in the top of the first and now staked to a six-run, Campbell took advantage of the early run support and allowed just two base runners over the next three innings – one due to a USA fielding error and the other due to a walk.
South Alabama added four more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Crocker then launched a three-run homer deep over the left field wall to score Fowler and Haley Hopkins. Fowler had reached on USM’s second error of the game and Hopkins walked. With one out, Neal lined a homer to left center to give the Jaguars a 10-0 advantage.
Campbell held the Golden Eagles – who had hitless through the first four innings – ran into a little trouble in the fifth. Hill started the rally when she singled up the middle – her first hit of the season. Thurman then lined a single down the left field line to put runners in scoring position and Sher recorded a double to right field to drive in Hill and pinch runner Stephanie Shiflet and trim the Southern Miss deficit to 10-2. Campbell settled down and was able to get third baseman Brittany Lilly to line into a double play. Taylor Brown then struck out swinging to end the game.
USA returns to action this weekend when it travels to Murfreesboro, Tenn. to take on the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee in a three-game series.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
NOTES: This is the Jags eighth run-rule victory of the season … Christen Crocker is now one home run away from tying Jenny Stevens’ as the programs all-time home run leader (18) … USA is now 6-3-1 versus Southern Miss in the all-time series.
—USA—
