Seniors come through for Lady Eagles

   The Southern Miss Lady Eagle softball team pulled its record back above .500 Wednesday night, defeating Southeastern Louisiana 6-3 on senior day at the USM Softball Complex.

   Seniors Samantha Davis, Kristin Pilgrim and Brittney Jones won their final game at the USM Softball Complex, and were honored afterwards with a senior day ceremony with family, fans and teammates.

   Davis made the most of her final home game, allowing just four hits in a complete game and tallying a season-high eight strikeouts.

   “It was big to go out like that,” the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. native said. “To be honest, I had butterflies like it was my first game again, but I settled down and got on a roll and it felt pretty good.”

   Lady Lion hitters jumped on Davis early, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first inning when Heather Sherrill hit a home run over the centerfield fence.

   Davis was dominant from that point on.

   “Coach (Howard Dobson) told us to put our emotions aside and go out there and play hard,” fellow senior Kristin Pilgrim said. “It was tough, but Sam was pitching great and we ended up getting a good win.”

   Southern Miss grabbed the lead in the third inning when first-baseman Ashley Razey blasted a three-run homer over the left field fence, driving in Pilgrim and Logan James.

   The Lady Eagles poured it on in the fourth with Brandy Alonzo started off a three-run rally with a double off the right field wall. Leslie Lejune knocked in a pair of runs with a double, and Logan James knocked in another with a third double.

   “It was big for us after that Houston series,” USM head coach Howard Dobson said. “It seemed like all their hits were dropping in right in front of us, and none of ours were dropping.

   “We needed this one going into the Tulsa series and then the conference tournament; we need to be playing our best ball right now.”

   Southern Miss advanced to 25-24-2 with the win, and got some much-needed momentum heading into their final Conference USA series in Tulsa, Okla. this weekend against the Golden Hurricanes.

   For Davis and Pilgrim, Wednesday’s game gave them one last chance to play on the field that saw them become the best of friends and grow as players and as people.

   “I wouldn’t have wanted go through the last four years with anyone else,” Pilgrim said.  “She’s as close to me as anyone, and she’ll be someone I’ll call for help for the rest of my life.”

   Davis had similar sentiments.

   “It’s meant so much to me to play with these girls,” Davis said. “Kristin and I were friends from day one, and to have her catch this game was a big deal for me.”