March 21, 2008

Box Score

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - UCF entered tonights game at Pete Taylor Park sporting a 19-1 record and a No. 16 national ranking, but did not have an answer for starting pitcher Barry Bowden's masterful performance leading Southern Miss to their seventh consecutive win, 8-4, in front of 3,358 fans.

"This is a good start for us (opening C-USA Play)," Head Coach Corky Palmer said. "Central Florida is a good team and this is still going to be a tough series but it is good to get the first one."

Tonight's win gave head coach Corky Palmer his 900th career win over his 29 year coaching career. He needs only two more wins for his 800th collegiate win and 11 more wins for his 400th win at Southern Miss.

Bowden (4-1) threw eight innings, allowing five hits and struck out a career high 14 batters, allowing only one run through eight innings. He started the ninth inning and left the game with two runners on base, who came around to score and were credited to Bowden.

"Barry was tremendous tonight," Palmer said. "I think he got a little tired in the ninth but he has earned the right to try and finish these type of games. He is such a competitor."

Bowden was able to keep the UCF (19-2, 0-1 CUSA) offense, which came into the game sporting a lofty .338 team average, under complete control. He allowed three singles in the third inning then struck out two consecutive UCF hitters with the bases loaded to end the threat. He did not allow another hit until the seventh inning.

Bowden moved into sixth place on the Southern Miss career strikeout list, recording his 245 strikeout tonight, he needs only 22 additional strikeouts to pass Ray Guy for fifth all time.

At the plate Southern Miss (13-6, 1-0 CUSA) hit three home runs in a game for the first time this season, Kyle Maxie had two and James Ewing hit his first long ball of the season.

Ewing collected three hits on the evening with two RBI and two runs scored. Maxie had a single, three RBI and two runs scored to go along with his two homeruns.

Bo Davis was two-for-three with two doubles, a run scored and a RBI and Josh Fields added in a two-for-three night with two runs scored. Brian Dozier also added in two RBI as well for the Golden Eagles.

Southern Miss wasted no time taking control of the game, Bowden mowed through the Knights in the top of the first throwing nine pitches and striking out two, setting the tone for the entire game.

In the bottom of the first leadoff hitter James Ewing battled an eight pitch at bat before he drilled a home run over the left field wall for a 1-0 lead.

Southern Miss added two more runs in the bottom of the second inning as Kyle Maxie drove the first Jaager Good pitch of the inning over the left field wall for his third home run of the season. The Golden Eagles rallied for their third run of the game with two outs as Josh Fields ripped a single down the left field line. He came around to score on Bo Davis' double off the right field wall.

The Golden Eagles added two more runs off the bat off Kyle Maxie as he hit his second homerun of the game, this time a towering shot to dead center field scoring Corey Stevens who walked earlier in the inning for a 5-0 Southern Miss advantage.

Southern Miss scored for the fourth consecutive inning in the bottom of the fourth adding two more runs for a 7-0 lead. Josh Fields doubled down the left field line, was sacrificed to third on a bunt by Bo Davis and came in to score on James Ewing's RBI single to right field. Ewing advanced to third on two consecutive balks by UCF relief pitcher Evan Stobbs and came in to score on Brian Dozier's RBI single up the middle.

The Golden Eagles extended their lead to 8-0 on a sacrifice fly by Brian Dozier scoring Bo Davis, who reached base with his second double of the game.

Bowden made his only mistake of the game to Ryan Richardson in the top of the seventh inning, who hit a solo homerun to left field to put the Knights on the board.

UCF added three runs in the ninth inning, two were credited to Bowden and one to Johnathon Johnston. Bowden left the game with runners on first and second, who both came around to score. Tyler Conn finished the game without allowing a run, keeping his streak alive of not allowing an earned run this season in his 8.1 innings of work.

Southern Miss and UCF will play game two of the series tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m.

-southernmiss.com-