May 8, 2008

Box Score

Box Score in PDF

HOUSTON, Texas - Southern Miss softball team closed out the 2008 season, falling to UCF, 3-2, in game two of the first day in the Conference USA Softball Championship here Thursday.

UCF's Allison Kime recorded her 29th win of the season, scattering five hits over seven innings and striking out eight. Samantha Davis (15-12) took the loss for the Lady Eagles, who ended the season at 25-30.

"I hate to see us go out like this," head coach Howard said. "I don't know how many one-run games we've lost this season. It's come down to one big pitch or one big hit and we just didn't get it today. We gave ourselves a shot. We had people on base and we just didn't have the opportunity for a hit to fall in for us. We have a lead-off double and Megan Hill hits a ball that almost gets out - (she) just misses it. We were right there. It was a tough way to see it happen."

UCF's Hillary Barrow laced a three-run home run over the right field fence in the bottom of the first inning, giving the Knights a 3-0 lead. Marquita Council singled with one out followed by a walk by Breanne Javier putting runners at first and second. Barrow then put a 2-0 pitch over the fence for her second home run of the season.

Southern Miss responded in the top of the third with strong performances at the plate and on the base paths, to cut the lead to 3-2. Hill blasted her sixth home run of the season to begin the inning, followed by back-to-back singles from Kristin Chaney and Kristin Pilgrim. With Pilgrim now on third, Logan James and Jennifer Fox both struck out. However, on Fox's strikeout, Pilgrim took off for second and Chaney was able to break for home and score to make it a one-run game.

Kime was able to keep the Golden Eagle off the bases for the over the next three innings, until James led off the inning with a double down the left field line, but Kime retired the next two batters before Brandi Alonzo reached base when she was hit by a pitch. Kime then got Holly Milner to ground out to short.

The Knights (44-18) banged out eight hits, led by Council's 2-for-3 day at the plate. Lexi Gresham went 2-for-2, while Breanne Javier had one hit and two walks. Barrow's three RBI give her 37 on the season.

James led the Golden Eagles in hits with two, including her second double of the season, while Hill finished the day 1-for-4. Hill, a second team All-Conference USA performer, finished the season with a team-high 29 RBI. She finished with a nine-game hitting streak.

"On the flip side, this was the last hoorah for our seniors," Dobson said. "They fought until the end and that's what we asked all the way through. I was telling them in our team meeting afterwards that no matter what happens, you've been through a lot in your four years. No matter what life throws at you the rest of the way, at least you know you can handle it. They showed some character and I hate to see the way it happened. We gave it a run and gave it our all and left it on the field. Now we have to step back, regroup, recruit and get ready for next year."