HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Lamar University (9-9) overcame a two-run deficit to Southern Mississippi Saturday only to lose 5-4 on a walk off hit. Earlier in the day, the Cardinals fell 13-1 to Jacksonville State to drop both games at the Black and Gold Challenge.
LU was hindered by four errors defensively in game one's loss to the Gamecocks. The Cardinals only run came from a solo homer by
Veronica Harrison, which was one of three LU hits in the game.
Reagan Smith was tagged with the loss as she went 1.2 innings allowing five runs on three hits and struck out three batters.
Jayne Sepulveda recorded three hits and two RBIs, which included the game-tying run in the seventh inning.
Mallory Pitre (2.1 IP, two runs, three hits) started in the circle while
Madison Guidry (4.1 IP, three runs, eight hits, two Ks) was the losing pitcher.
Game 1: JSU 13, Lamar 1 (5 inn.)
While Smith got out of a first inning jam, she started the second recording two outs before the Gamecocks rallied to score five. In relief,
Sabrina Jolin pitched a scoreless third, but ran into trouble when JSU pounced for eight more runs to lead 13-0.
LU's offense had two hits and one runner in scoring position through the first three innings. Harrison broke the JSU shutout bid in the fourth with her third homer of the year. That was the last hit the Cardinals got as JSU ended the victory in five.
Game 2: USM 5, Lamar 4
After two scoreless innings, the Cardinals plated two in the top of the third with an RBI triple from Sepulveda and a single from Harrison. Over the next two innings, the Golden Eagles recorded four runs. LU was held without a hit in innings four through six.
The Cardinals started the top of the seventh with a leadoff single from
Kalie Amos. Pinch hitter
Rose Gonzales singled and advanced to second on an error while
Aubrey Brown's sac bunt led to Amos scoring. Down to her last strike, Sepulveda singled in Gonzales to tie the score at four. Guidry retired the first two hitters in the seventh inning, but USM answered with three straight hits to walk off 5-4 winners.
LU will end its time in Hattiesburg with a rematch against Louisiana Tech Sunday. The first pitch will be delivered at 12:30 p.m.
