HATTIESBURG, MS – HBU's softball team dropped their first two games of the Southern Miss Invitational against ULM and Jacksonville State University Friday afternoon at the Southern Miss. Softball Complex.
GAME ONE
The Huskies (2-4) struck first in game one on the day, scoring two in the first inning. Two walks and an error loaded the bases for the Huskies with no outs. With one out in the frame,
Jasie Roberts and
Haylie Savage both earned RBI walks to give the Husky a 2-0 advantage. A strike out and a line out from Husky hitters stranded three baserunners in the inning.
ULM scored their first run of the game in the top of the second inning before the Huskies responded in the bottom of the frame.
Avery Drake walked and stole second following a Husky strikeout.
Autumn Sydlik recorded an RBI single to left center to extend the Husky lead to 3-1.
ULM briefly took the lead in the third, scoring three runs on three singles, two walks, and an HBU error. HBU regained the lead with a four run inning of their own. Savage singled to center before
Breana Herrera reached on a fielding error.
Riley Martin hit a single to left field to load the bases. After a Drake groundout,
Shelby Echols singled to left field to advance the runners and drive in her first run of the season. Martin then scored on a passed ball. Sydlik came up to the dish again and drove a double to deep center field, driving in two runs to make the score 7-4 Huskies.
ULM scored seven runs in the top of the fifth inning to end the scoring for both sides. They walked away with an 11-7 win. In the game,
Caitlyn Brockway, Sydlik, and Echols each recorded two hits. Sydlik drove in three while Savage, Echols, and Roberts each had an RBI of their own.
Lyndie Swanson started in the circle for the Huskies. She gave up seven earned runs on nine hits and struck out three over seven innings of work.
Katy Janes was given the loss, her second of the season.
GAME TWO
The Huskies got on the board early again in their final game of the afternoon. With the bases loaded and one out in the first inning, Savage reached on an error from the JSU short stop, scoring one.
Maddison Cotton cruised through the first five inning of the game for HBU without allowing a run before the Gamecocks were able to put up seven runs in the top of the sixth. The Huskies responded with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but JSU's lead was too big to overcome.
The Huskies return to action in the early morning hours tomorrow. The play against Mississippi Valley State at 8 am before playing the hosts, Southern Miss at 11 am.
