Conference USA

IRVING, Texas - All 12 Conference USA softball teams engaged in league play this weekend as Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, UAB and UTSA secured series victories. Louisiana Tech (6-4 C-USA) holds a narrow lead over UAB (5-4 C-USA) and North Texas (6-6 C-USA) in C-USA's West Division, while (RV) Marshall (11-1 C-USA) remains ahead of (RV) FIU and Florida Atlantic in the East.

2017 Standings
Updated Statistics (All Games)
Updated Statistics (C-USA Games)
2017 Schedule & Results

(RV) Marshall (27-5, 11-1 C-USA) at Southern Miss (18-18, 4-8 C-USA)
(Marshall won series 2-1)
Game One: Marshall 5, Southern Miss 0
Game Two: Southern Miss 8, Marshall 0 (5)
Game Three: Marshall 3, Southern Miss 0
Recap: Marshall took two of three at Southern Miss over the weekend, highlighted by Jordan Dixon's 1,000th strikeout in her career chalk full of milestones. In game one, Dixon took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and held the Golden Eagles scoreless in Marshall's 17th consecutive victory. Taylor McCord went 2-for-4 with a double and a home run and threw out a pair of baserunners from behind the dish. In game two, Southern Miss exploded for a run-rule victory and ended the Herd's program-best winning streak at 17. Samantha Robles dazzled in the circle, pitching all five innings and allowing no runs on just four hits. Lauren Holifield went 1-for-3 with three of Southern Miss' eight RBI in the nightcap. In the series-deciding third game, Dixon once again went the distance for her 21st career shutout and her 96th win. The senior ace has now won 20 games in a season for the fourth time and has won each of her last 12 starts en route to her 20-4 record in 2017. Dixon now needs just four victories to become the second pitcher in C-USA history to reach the 1,000 strikeout-100 win plateau. 

(RV) FIU (31-8, 7-2 C-USA) at Florida Atlantic (24-12, 7-2 C-USA)
(Florida Atlantic won series 2-1)
Game One: FIU 5, Florida Atlantic 1
Game Two: Florida Atlantic 4, FIU 1
Game Three: Florida Atlantic 5, FIU 2
Recap: Florida Atlantic took two of three against FIU and drew even with its in-state rivals, with both owning a 7-2 record in league play. FIU began the series with five runs in the first inning and held the Owls to just one run en route to its 17th straight victory. Megan Kugelman scattered just five hits and three walks in her complete-game performance. The Owls had a response, however, winning the second leg of the doubleheader 4-1, and snapped the Panthers win streak at 17. Madisyn Palmer went 1-for-2 with an RBI and Tatum Buckley limited the red-hot FIU offense to just one run on five hits. In the third and final game of the set, Lauren Whitt went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI while Palmer walked three times and scored twice, providing all the offense needed in the 5-2 win for the Owls. Buckley provided six innings of relief, giving up only one run.

Middle Tennessee (12-19, 3-9 C-USA) at Louisiana Tech (22-14, 6-3 C-USA) 
(Middle Tennessee won series 2-1)
Game One: Louisiana Tech 4, Middle Tennessee 0
Game Two: Middle Tennessee 3, Louisiana Tech 1
Game Three: Middle Tennessee 9, Louisiana Tech 8 (8)
Recap: Middle Tennessee claimed its first C-USA series win this season, taking two of three at Louisiana Tech. In game one, Preslee Gallaway and Jenny Chapman combined for the 11th shutout victory of the year for the Lady Techsters. Morgan Turkoly paved the way at the dish, going 2-for-2, including one of the Lady Techsters' four doubles in the contest. In the second leg of the doubleheader, Middle Tennessee rallied to claim a 3-1 win. Cori Jennings picked up the victory, striking out just one, but allowed only four hits for her 12th complete game of 2017. In the rubber game, both teams fought through a pair of weather delays before the Blue Raiders eventually emerged with the 9-8 win in extra innings. Gretchen Greer struck out nine in 4.2 innings of relief and moved to 5-2 this season. At the plate, Precious Birdsong went 2-for-3, scored twice and walked twice along with three RBI and a home run.

UAB (13-21, 5-4 C-USA) at WKU (20-20, 4-8 C-USA)
(UAB won series 2-1)
Game One: UAB 1, WKU 0 (9)
Game Two: WKU 7, UAB 3
Game Three: UAB 3, WKU 2
Recap: UAB clinched an important series win against WKU, taking two of three on the road. In game one, Cara Goodwin and Kathryn Downing were locked in a pitcher's duel of the highest order, with neither conceding a run through eight innings. Goodwin gave up only one hit and held the Lady Toppers hitless until the eighth inning. UAB's Mary Warren broke the deadlock in the top of the ninth with a solo home run into deep right en route to the Blazers victory. The Lady Topper offense came alive in game two, scoring seven runs on eight hits. Brittany Vaughn paved the way from the leadoff spot, reaching base three times and scoring three runs along with an RBI. Jordan Mauch also cranked her team-leading 10th home run of the season in the win. In the rubber game, Goodwin tossed her second complete game of the weekend and tallied seven strikeouts in UAB's series-clinching victory.

North Texas (18-16, 6-6 C-USA) at Charlotte (22-17, 5-7 C-USA)
(Charlotte won series 3-0)
Game One: Charlotte 10, North Texas 0 (5)
Game Two: Charlotte 8, North Texas 3
Game Three: Charlotte 8, North Texas 6
Recap: Charlotte wrapped up a three-game sweep of North Texas and secured its first C-USA series win of the 2017 campaign. In game one, Charlotte ace Haley Wiseman tossed her third complete game shutout of the season. The 49er offense stepped up in a big way as Grace Beatty, Meredith Harris, Emma Ocker, and Spenser Gray all registered multi-hit efforts in the 10-0 run-rule triumph. North Texas staked an early 3-1 lead in game two, but a three-run fifth inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Harris, gave the 49ers the lead and the eventual victory. In the series finale, Beatty clubbed a three-run home run as a part of a 3-for-4 day with four RBI. Erin Powers added three RBI with a pair of base hits.

UTEP (9-25, 4-8 C-USA) at UTSA (14-22, 4-8 C-USA)
(UTSA won series 2-1)
Game One: UTSA 8, UTEP 1
Game Two: UTEP 7, UTSA 6 (10)
Game Three: UTSA 8, UTEP 5
Recap: UTSA held off in-state rival UTEP and locked down a C-USA series win over the weekend. The Roadrunner offense raced out to a victory in game one, thanks in large part to the hot hitting from Celeste Loughman. The freshman pounded out a double and a home run, driving home five in the offensive explosion. Nicole Merrill gave up nine hits to the Miners, but limited the damage and only allowed just the one run to score. In the nightcap, UTEP amassed a season-high 17 hits along with three long balls. Kiki Pepi gave the Miners the lead in the top of the 10th with a solo shot and tied her career high in hits with three. Courtney Clayton notched her 12th multi-hit game of the season with a 3-for-5 effort. In Sunday's rubber game, UTSA trailed heading into the sixth inning, but batted around and scored five in the frame and pulled out the 8-5 victory. The Roadrunners and Miners now own 4-8 league records along with Southern Miss in a crowded C-USA West Division.