JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Southern Miss softball opened the Jacksonville Spring Break Classic with a 1-0 victory over Brown, then lost 3-2 to North Florida on Friday, according to the team.
The Golden Eagles (15-9) used a complete-game shutout from pitcher Madilyn Graham to beat Brown in the first game. Madison Johnson drove in Julia Glasgow on a go-ahead single in the sixth inning, helping Southern Miss extend its winning streak to eight games, the longest since 2019, and the best under head coach Natalie Poole.
Graham improved to 5-1 with her third complete game of the season, allowing six hits and striking out two. She retired 10 of 11 batters faced after the third inning. Brown’s Macy Borowski took the loss, pitching six innings with five hits and three walks allowed.
In the second game, North Florida edged Southern Miss 3-2. Grace Shaw’s two-out home run in the sixth inning broke a tie and clinched the victory for the Ospreys. The Golden Eagles rallied from a 2-1 deficit to tie the game in the third, but Shaw’s homer secured the win.
Kayla Giardina suffered the loss for Southern Miss, pitching six innings and giving up three earned runs on six hits. Cameron Ponich earned the win for North Florida, allowing one earned run over six-plus innings.
Southern Miss is scheduled to face Jacksonville University and Brown on Saturday at the same event, with first pitches set for noon and 2:30 p.m. Central time, respectively.
