Box Score
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- For the second consecutive day, WKU softball dropped an extra-inning heartbreaker to Southern Miss (18-20, 5-7 C-USA) as the Golden Eagles edged the Lady Toppers, 5-4, on a walk single in the tenth inning of the series finale between the two teams.
WKU jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage after RBI singles from rookie Hannah Mabrey in the fourth and senior Brooke Holloway in the fifth inning. The RBI proved to be Mabrey's first of her career while the veteran Holloway notched her 13th on the year.
Southern Miss slashed WKU's advantage in half in the bottom of the sixth as the Golden Eagles put runners on second and third followed by an RBI single from Samantha Papp to center field.
Holloway recorded another big hit in the top of the seventh inning as a two-RBI double into centerfield drove in rookies Rebekah Englehardt and Kelsey McGuffin and WKU extended its advantage, 4-1.
The Lady Toppers were just two outs away from the series clinching victory before Southern Miss knotted the score in the bottom of the seventh as a three-run home run from Katie Cleary to right field sent the contest into extra innings for the second time on the weekend.
USM's Samantha Papp struck again for the Golden Eagles in the bottom of the tenth as the freshman recorded a walk-off RBI single to right center field as Southern Miss edged WKU, 5-4, and clinched the weekend series, 2-1.
Holloway's 2-for-4, three RBI performance at the plate led a WKU offense that outhit Southern Miss, 10-8, on the afternoon. Junior Kathryn Downing also registered a pair of hits on four at-bats while six other Lady Toppers finished with a hit.
Hannah Parker (7-11) was credited with the loss as the sophomore recorded her second complete game in a row, allowing USM eight hits and just three earned runs in 9.1 innings in the circle. Parker struck out five Golden Eagles on the day.
USM's win clinched the series for the Golden Eagles as the two teams split a doubleheader Saturday. Southern Miss used a walk-off hit in the bottom of ninth in order to take the first contest, 3-2, while WKU road a one-hit performance from Hannah Parker in the second as the Lady Toppers completed a 4-0 shutout. Rookie Bryce Holmgren had a tremendous weekend at the plate, leading WKU with six total hits in nine at-bats.
WKU (12-18, 4-5 C-USA) returns to action with a midweek doubleheader at Murray State Wednesday evening. The first contest with the Racers is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. in Murray, Kentucky.
