Southern Miss softball (27-15, Sun Belt 8-4) takes the series against James Madison (16-20, Sun Belt 4-8) with a walk-off win in the 11th inning and a complete game shutout in the nightcap.
“Unbelievably proud of the answer back today from our team,” said head coach Natalie Poole. “They were determined to win the series, and I felt that fight in them today. Graham really went the distance in the extra innings game. She stayed steady and very focused in each moment. Kayla dominated from the beginning of her game! Proud of their fight and for helping us be in a position to win those games. This team is Mission Minded, and we plan to continue this path.”
Madilyn Graham (10-4) recorded the longest outing for a pitcher in the Sun Belt with 11 innings pitched, passing Texas State’s Azua Madison with 10 innings pitched against Louisiana, picking up the win. Kayla Giardina (12-6) tossed the second complete game of the day, allowing only two hits, three walks and a hit by pitch.
Southern Miss 5, JMU 4 (11 Inn.)
Madilyn Graham opened the game, facing only seven batters, pitching two scoreless innings. JMU broke the silence in the third after back-to-back singles set up Kylee Gleason to reach on an error and score one. The Dukes extended the lead to three with a two-out single to left center, bringing in two runners.
The Golden Eagles responded with an RBI single off the bat of Hannah Christian to center, scoring Nealy McManus from second base in the bottom of the third, 3-1. JMU put the lead back to three with a two-out solo shot off the bat of Emily LeGrand in the top of the fourth, with Graham closing the inning out on a foul out.
Southern Miss caused chaos on the base path in the bottom of the fifth after Jolie Hays drew a full count walk to lead off the inning. Hays advanced to third on a pair of groundouts to bring Hannah Christian to the dish. The sophomore drew a four-pitch walk, then drew the attention of the infield, allowing Hays to score on the diversion, with Christian getting picked off trying to get back after the run scored.
Graham worked quickly through the sixth, where the righty left two stranded, and closed out the seventh with a strikeout. Southern Miss held on in the bottom of the seventh, after Kayce Bennett lined out to second and a groundout from Madison Johnson, with Hays recording a two-out double to left center. McManus got on base via an error, allowing pinch runner Adryan Cox to advance to third. Off back-to-back two-out infield singles from Julia Glasgow and Christian, the Golden Eagles send the game into extras, tying the ball game at four.
The Stringer, Miss. native, Graham, threw four more scoreless innings, allowing McManus to hit a walk-off SAC fly in the bottom of the 11th inning, winning 5-4.
Southern Miss 5, JMU 0
Giardina set the tone for the Golden Eagles, allowing only three baserunners through the first three frames, leaving the Dukes hitless.
In the bottom of the third, Christian got a lead-off walk and Carrie Green got on board from an error. Green continued the game plan of chaos on the base path, drawing the attention of the infield by taking off for second and getting into a pickle, allowing Christian to score, and Green finally swiping second. Kinsley Gordon-Sivley got an RBI infield single, followed by a SAC fly from Johnson to take the lead 3-0.
The righty, Giardina, kept her rhythm, leaving one stranded at the top of the fourth. With a one-out double from McManus and a single from Glasgow, Christian drove in a run with a groundout to second baseman Madison Edwards. The Golden Eagles tacked on another run in the fifth with an RBI single from Johnson to center, 5-0.
Giardina closed the game out, retiring the Dukes in order in the sixth and striking out one in the seventh to complete her ninth complete game and her third shutout.
Notables
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The last time the Golden Eagles opened conference play with four straight wins was in 2000
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Madilyn Graham recorded the longest outing of the season for a Sun Belt pitcher with 11 innings pitched
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Nealy McManus is ranked in the top six in the nation for assists (100)
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Hannah Christian is in the top five in the nation for hits (61)
