HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Yale softball team split a pair of games at the Hub City Classic. The squad started the day with a 4-1 loss to Southern Mississippi and capped the day with a 5-3 victory over Nicholls State. Yale improved to 1-2 on the season, while Southern Miss improved to 10-1, and Nicholls fell to 9-5 overall. Yale's victory over Nicholls State marked the first win for Laura Ricciardone as head coach of the program.
Game 1: Southern Mississippi 4, Yale 1
- Lauren Perren got the Bulldogs started in the top of the second inning with a single to right field.
- Grayson Vives singled down the right field line, moving Perren to third. Vives, in the next at bat, was caught stealing second, which allowed Perren to squeak by and score.
- Yale held onto the lead until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Golden Eagles hit a home run to tie the game.
- Southern Miss picked up three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
- The Bulldogs were unable to gain momentum and Southern Miss went on to win it.
Game 2: Yale 5, Nicholls 3
- Carolyn Skotz doubled to left center field to get things rolling.
- Lauren Perren singled through the left side and sent Skotz to third. Maddie Latta's single up the middle in the next at bat scored Skotz from third.
- Nicholls responded in the bottom of the first after they picked up a two-run home run and the lead.
- Willa Ferrer's single to left field in the top of the second started a roll for Yale. Alex Perren and SJ Mull worked the count for two back-to-back walks.
- With the bases loaded and one out, Skotz stepped to the plate and hit a three RBI triple to left field.
- It wasn't until the fifth inning that Colonels got on the scoresheet with two hits and three runs.
- Nicholls grabbed another run in the fifth inning with a single up the middle.
- The Bulldogs were able to ward off the Colonels behind solid pitching from Maddie Latta and Nicole Conway.
Looking Ahead
The Bulldogs will wrap their Mississippi stint with a game against the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff on Sunday, Feb. 26.