HATTIESBURG, Miss. --- The East Carolina softball team closed out the regular season with a 12-4 loss to Southern Miss on Sunday, dropping just its second Conference USA series of the season.

ECU (55-17) finishes the season third in Conference USA with a league record of 17-7, while Southern Miss (28-30) finishes the year in sixth place with a conference mark of 10-14. The two teams will meet again in the first round of the C-USA Tournament in Tampa, Fla. on Thursday at a time to be determined.

Freshman Beth Nolan's two-run single highlighted the Pirates' first inning. Fellow rookie Erin St. Ledger and junior Alison Monce also recorded RBI-singles.

Senior Kate Manuse continued to add to her league-leading doubles total with her 21st two-base hit of the year in the first.

ECU held the lead until the bottom half of the fourth inning when Southern Miss erupted for 10 runs on nine hits. The Golden Eagles collected 16 hits total off junior pitcher Stephanie Hayes (13-4), who tossed her 10th complete game of the season.

The game was called after six innings when USM scored its 12th run of the game.