MONROE, La. — Southern Miss softball fell 7-6 to ULM in the series opener Thursday at the ULM Softball Complex. The game was delayed by nearly two and a half hours due to rain before resuming.
Paris Ferguson made a notable impact with her first collegiate home run, a three-run shot in the seventh inning that brought the Golden Eagles within one run. Ferguson also drove in three RBIs as a pinch hitter, according to team sources.
Kayla Giardina took the loss for Southern Miss, dropping her record to 17-8. Hannah Christian and Carrie Green opened the game with consecutive walks, and Jolie Hays drove in a run with a single in the first inning. ULM responded with a two-RBI single in the bottom of the second, taking a 2-1 lead.
The Warhawks extended their lead in the third and fourth innings, adding four more runs, including two walks in the fourth. Southern Miss fought back in the fifth, with two walks and three singles, bringing the score to 6-3. The Golden Eagles threatened again in the sixth, but ULM pitcher Briley Whittington kept them at bay.
In the seventh, Southern Miss made five pinch-hitting substitutions. With two outs, Ferguson’s home run capped a late rally, but ULM held on to win. The series continues Friday with a game scheduled at 6 p.m., according to team officials.
Notable individual performances included Ferguson’s first career home run, Carrie Green’s 13th multi-hit game, and Nealy McManus’s team-leading 30th walk of the season. The teams’ pitching decisions saw Ashanti McDade earn the win for ULM and Kayla Giardina take the loss for Southern Miss.
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