Abigail Morgan helps USM to a win over Maryland Eastern Shore

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Former Warren Central High School softball star Abigail Morgan helped the University of Southern Mississippi to a win over the University of Maryland Eastern Shore last week. The Golden Eagles won 18-2 where Morgan pitched for a little over an inning. Morgan struck out two batters in the win. 

Morgan is in her first season at USM spending her freshman year at the University of Memphis where she threw 35 strikeouts. She was also awarded VDN’s 2023 Softball Player of the Year.

Last Season:

2024 (Memphis): Pitched 81.1 innings in 29 appearances in freshman campaign, recording 35 strikeouts, including a career-high six against Northern Iowa. Tallied two complete games and one save against Tennessee Tech (2/25).

Weekend Games:

Following a historic performance Thursday night, Southern Miss Softball (11-12, 0-0 Sun Belt) continued its offensive surge Friday at the Golden Eagle Classic, plating a total of 28 runs in two run-rule victories over North Dakota State and Maryland Eastern Shore.

The Golden Eagles extended their winning streak to six games, outscoring opponents 56-6 in the tournament so far.
Southern Miss’ offense has recorded double-digit hits in three consecutive games for the first time under head coach Natalie Poole and the first time since March 2022. The Golden Eagles have tallied 44 hits across three games at the tournament. Eight players recorded multi-hit performances on Friday, with Hannah Christian and Jana Lee leading the way with three-hit outings against North Dakota State.

Game One: Southern Miss 10-North Dakota State 2 (5 Inn.)

The Golden Eagles racked up 13 hits against the Bison, supported by a complete-game performance in the circle from freshman Kayla Giardina. She allowed two earned runs on four hits while striking out two en route to her third career victory.

Southern Miss scored three runs in three innings, with eight players collecting hits in the game. Lee and Christian led the charge with three hits apiece.The Golden Eagles set the tone early in the first inning, stringing together three hits as Mikaila Fox and Ryanna Valdivia drove in three runs with a pair of singles. North Dakota State responded with a run on Chloe Woldruff’s RBI triple, but Southern Miss countered in the second inning with five hits and another three-run outburst.

Carrie Green notched her second career triple, scoring Faith Kivett after her leadoff single. Christian followed with an RBI single, and a Bison error allowed another run to cross. North Dakota State escaped further damage, leaving the bases loaded.

In the third, Christian singled and stole second before scoring on a Shelby Weeks RBI double, extending the lead to 7-1.

Jessica Delatorre added a solo home run in the fourth, but Southern Miss sealed the win with three more runs in the fifth, capitalizing on a final passed ball to enforce the run-rule decision.

Game Two: Southern Miss 18-UMES 2 (5 Inn.)

In a near-mirror image of Thursday night’s opener against the Hawks, Southern Miss erupted for ten first-inning runs on seven hits, including four extra-base hits.

Shelby Allen led off with her first career triple, scoring on Abbi Troquille’s RBI single. Madison Moak followed with an RBI double, and Fox launched a two-run homer, her first of the season. The Golden Eagles drew two bases-loaded walks before Moak ripped her second double of the inning, bringing home two more runs. Maddie Moody capped off the frame with a two-RBI single.

UMES got on the board in the third with a two-run single from Emily Gunthe, but Southern Miss responded with three more hits, highlighted by an RBI single from Makayla Peters and an RBI double from Natalie Taylor.

Moak tallied her career-high fourth RBI in the fourth inning, forcing in a run on a bases-loaded walk. Peters then cleared the bases with a double, also securing her fourth RBI of the game. Taylor followed with her first triple of the season, capping the scoring.

Senior pitcher Marissa Frederick made her season debut, retiring the side with three groundouts to secure the team’s sixth consecutive victory. Abigail Morgan earned the win in relief of Natalie Herrington, notching a season-high two strikeouts. Jolie Hays also contributed an inning, facing six batters and recording a strikeout.