March 31, 2008

IRVING, Texas - - For the third time in the last five weeks and the second consecutive week the Conference USA office has selected senior right-handed pitcher Barry Bowden as the C-USA Pitcher of the Week.

Bowden had one of his best career performances this past Friday at No. 10 Rice. He out-dueled Rice All-American Ryan Berry in a 1-0 game at Reckling Park in Houston, propelling the Golden Eagles to take the weekend-road-series from the Owls.

With two of the top pitchers in the conference, if not the nation, facing off at on the campus of Rice University fans got exactly what they expected, a game dominated by the two starting pitchers.

Barry Bowden (5-1) picked up his fifth win of the season throwing 8.2 innings, scattering only four Rice hits and striking out ten.

Only one Rice runner reached third base and that was Adam Zornes, who doubled to lead off the seventh inning and was sacrificed to third. With the tying run at third base and one out Bowden struck out the next two Rice batters to end the threat.

Bowden did not allow a Rice base runner until the third inning and did not surrender his first hit until the fourth. Rice did not have an inning in which they had more that one hit and only three runners were able to reach as far as second base.

Rice attempted to rally in the ninth as Diego Seastruck led off the inning with a single to right field and Bowden hit Zornes with a high fastball after recording the first two outs of the inning. With the tying run in scoring position Palmer turned the ball over to closer Tyler Conn to finish the game.

Southern Miss will return to action at "The Pete" tomorrow and Tuesday and they host Troy for a two-game set. Game time tomorrow is set for 6:30 p.m. and first pitch Tuesday will be at 4:00 p.m.

-southernmiss.com-