May 3, 2008

Box Score

CHARLESTON, W. Va, - No. 28 Southern Miss pounded out 15 hits and scored 12 runs to defeat Marshall 12-8 and even the series headed into the rubber game tomorrow afternoon at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, West Virginia.

"Today was a big win for us that we knew coming in we had to have and once again we found a way to come out with a victory," head coach Corky Palmer said. "We have been hitting the ball pretty well as of late and Collin Cargill was great out of the pen for us to keep us in the game."

Keith Winstead led the offense with his first career four hit game including a double, RBI and two runs scored.

Southern Miss (33-15, 10-7 CUSA) continued to hit the ball out of the park again Saturday, with three home runs on the evening. James Ewing, Trey Sutton and Chris Matesich all went deep for the Golden Eagles. Ewing ended the game with three hits, two runs scored and five RBI. Sutton collected three hits, three RBI and a run scored.

In the first two games of the series at Marshall, Southern Miss has scored 22 runs on 29 hits.

Starting pitcher Todd McInnis lasted only 2.1 innings allowing four runs on eight hits. The bright spot on the mound for Southern Miss was freshman Collin Cargill, who worked 4.2 innings allowing two runs on only one hit to pick up his fourth win of the season.

Southern Miss jumped out on top in the first inning as Bo Davis led off the game with a double down the left field line and went to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a James Ewing sacrifice fly.

The Thundering Herd answered right back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the first inning on five consecutive hits including an RBI double by Nate Lape and RBI singles by Victor Gomez and Jeff Rowley.

Marshall added to their lead in the bottom of the third on a RBI single by Tommy Johnson to make the score 4-1.

Southern Miss found their bats in the top of the fourth innings as they exploded for a five running inning to take their second lead of the game. Keith Winstead started the rally with an infield single and Brian Dozier drew a walk to put to runners on base. Brian Dozier started the scoring with two outs on a RBI single scoring Winsted.

James Ewing just missed getting the ball out of the yard as he tripled off the top of the center field wall to pick up his first triple of the season and two RBI to tie the game at four. Trey Sutton continued the rally as he blasted his fourth home run of the season deep down the right field line to put the Golden Eagles up 6-4.

Marshall answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame on a two-RBI double by victor Gomes to tie the game at six.

Southern Miss re-took the lead in the top of the fifth inning as they plated four more runs. Chris Matesich led off the inning with his sixth home run of the season over the left-center field wall to end the day for Marshall reliever Ian Kadish.

Keith Winstead greeted the new Herd pitcher Andrew Hancock with a double down the left field line and southern Miss put together another two out rally. Bo Davis hit a two-out RBI single so score Winstead, James Ewing followed with RBI single up the middle to score Davis and Trey Sutton hit a two-out RBI single past the Marshall shortstop to score Dozier and put Southern Miss on top 10-6.

The Golden Eagles added a single run in the eighth inning as Kyle Maxie drew a walk and was sacrificed to second on a bunt by Michael Ewing. Keith Winstead added his fourth hit of the game, a RBI single to right field to score Maxie.

Marshall added two unearned runs off reliever Wade Weathers on sacrifice fly ball's hit by Brandon Cassamassima and Josh Valle to put the Herd within three at 11-8.

James Ewing added one final insurance run in the top of the ninth inning on a mammoth solo home run to left center field.

The two teams will play the rubber match tomorrow with an 11:00 a.m. CST first pitch. Staff ace Barry Bowden is scheduled to make his return to the mound after nearly a months absence.

-southermiss.com-