University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Continues Nine-Game Homestand Against Buffalo
2/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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Southern Miss Continues Nine-Game Homestand Against Buffalo
HATTIESBURG, Miss. ? Fresh off two-straight wins over nationally-ranked opponents, the Southern Miss Golden Eagles continue a nine-game homestand as they host first-time opponent Buffalo in a three-game series this weekend at Pete Taylor Park.
The opening game of the series is slated for 4 p.m., Friday, while Saturday's game is set for 3 p.m., and Sunday's for 1 p.m.
Southern Miss improved to 7-1 with a 5-1 win over No. 10 Mississippi, 5-1, Wednesday, while the Bulls (0-0) open with their first series of the season.
The game will be a homecoming for Buffalo Head Coach Bill Breene, who played for the Golden Eagles from 1972-75 under legendary Southern Miss Coach Pete Taylor.
Bobby Garner leads a Southern Miss offensive attack that has scored 64 runs this season off 80 hits. Garner, who currently has a nine-game hitting streak dating back to last season, is tops on the team in batting average (.429), second in hits (12) and first in RBIs (12). Carlos Velasquez follows with a .351 batting average, while also leading the team in hits (13), at bats (37) and stolen bases (4).
Eric Huber is Buffalo's top returning hitter. He finished the 2001 season with a team-high 367 batting average, while reeling off 69 hits and 34 RBIs. Bryan Sanchez batted .333 last season and finished with 56 hits and a team-high 46 RBIs.
Shea Douglas (LHP, 2-0, 2.25 ERA) is slated as the Southern Miss starter for Friday. Douglas is second on the team in strikeouts (16) and has given up just five earned runs. The Bulls' Brendan Dunford will take the mound against Douglas. The right-hander finished 2001 with a 6.41 ERA and a team-high 55 strikeouts, while allowing 72 hits.
In the second game, the Golden Eagles will send Daniel Stewart (RHP, 0-0, 5.25 ERA) to the mound. Stewart has a team-high 17 strikeouts, and had a career-high 10 strikeouts in his last start against McNeese State. Through two no-decisions this season, Stewart has allowed eight runs off 14 hits. Buffalo answers with left-handed pitcher Mark McMahon in game two. McMahon had an ERA of 7.83 in 2001, along with 76 hits and 43 strikeouts.
Charlie Rogers (RHP, 2-0, 4.50 ERA) gets the nod in the series finale. In his last start against nationally-ranked Nebraska, Rogers allowed four runs off three hits with six walks and two strikeouts. Buffalo will start Anthony Puccia in the final game. A right-handed pitcher, Puccia gave up 20 runs off 23 hits and had an ERA of 10.26 in 2001.
After the series with Buffalo, Southern Miss hosts Louisiana-Monroe, March 5 and 6, before facing Eastern Illinois, March 8-10, at Pete Taylor Park. For ticket information for these series and all other Southern Miss home games, call 601/266-5418 or 1-800-844-TICK.
