March 17, 2008

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss softball team will step out of conference play, hosting the 15th-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs here Tuesday in a 6 p.m., single contest at the Southern Miss Softball Complex.

The Lady Eagles enter the game with a 14-14 record, while MSU is 22-9.

The meeting will be the 37th between the two teams, with State holding a 26-10 advantage in the series. MSU has won three straight against the Golden Eagles, including 9-2 and 10-6 victories last season.

Senior third baseman Jennifer Fox leads the team offensively with a team-best .367 batting average on the year, and she is tied for the team lead in home runs with two and third on the squad in RBIs with 14. Sophomore Megan Hill, a .310 batter, leads the team with 18 RBIs to go along with a pair of homers as well.

Junior pitcher Samantha Davis owns a team-best record of 6-5, working 75.2 innings with an ERA of 2.31.

The Lady Eagles have won six of their eight home games this season.

As for MSU, Chelsea Bramlett paces the team at the plate with a .430 average and a team-best 26 runs. Courtney Bures is batting .348 with 18 RBIs and leads the team with six doubles and is second on the squad with three home runs. Bulldog pitcher Kelsey Nurnberg has registered a 12-4 record, striking out 61 and compiling a 1.72 ERA.

Following the MSU contest, Southern Miss hits the road for its second-straight C-USA series against No. 13 Houston, Friday and Saturday. Game times are set for 3 p.m., Friday, and 1 p.m., Saturday.