LEESBURG, Fla. — The University of Southern Mississippi softball team opened The Spring Games with a split, winning one game and losing another on Friday. The Golden Eagles are now 5-3 this season, according to team officials.
Southern Miss lost its first game 3-2 to Loyola Chicago. Kayla Giardina pitched four scoreless innings and struck out five before giving up an RBI single. Briley Whittington pitched 6.2 innings, with Abigail Morgan earning her first save of the season. Despite nine hits, the Eagles fell short after Loyola’s Adelina Staden delivered a walk-off single in the seventh inning that scored two runs.
The Golden Eagles rebounded with an 8-4 victory over Bethune-Cookman. Nealy McManus drove in three runs, and Emma Day added two RBIs. Southern Miss took an early lead with a seven-run second inning, highlighted by a two-RBI double from McManus. Kayce Bennett and Jolie Hays contributed key singles, and Kinsley Gordon-Sivley drew a walk to extend the lead.
Southern Miss’s first meeting with Loyola Chicago resulted in a victory for the Huskies, marking the first rivalry game between the programs. The last time the teams faced each other was in 1999, when the Eagles won 8-0 in Hattiesburg. Abigail Morgan’s save was her first career for the Eagles.
The team continues tournament play Saturday, with their next game against Saint John’s scheduled for 1 p.m. EST. Fans can follow updates on the team’s social media accounts.
