University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Golden Eagle Baseball Resumes Play with Series Against Eastern Illinois
3/7/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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Golden Eagle Baseball Resumes Play with Series Against Eastern Illinois
HATTIESBURG, Miss. ? After losing two of its last three games, Southern Miss will be looking to get back on track when it hosts Eastern Illinois in a three-game series this weekend, March 8-10, at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field.
The opening game of the series is set for 6:30 p.m., Friday, with Saturday's and Sunday's games taking place at 2 and 1 p.m., respectively. All three games will be broadcast on 107.1 The Zoo, with Lance Pittman handling the play-by-play duties. Pregame broadcasts begin approximately 15 minutes before first pitch.
The Golden Eagles (10-3) split a series with Louisiana-Monroe, winning the first game, 15-2, on Tuesday, before dropping the final game, 4-1, Wednesday. Prior to the La.-Monroe series, Southern Miss won two-of-three over Buffalo. The Panthers (1-3) have not played since a three-game series against Ole Miss last weekend. The team is coached by Jim Schmitz.
Jeff Cook leads a powerful Southern Miss offense that has averaged 11.6 hits and nine runs per game this season. Cook is tops on the team in several categories, including batting average (.426), runs (20), RBIs (15) and home runs (4). Along with Cook, Carlos Velasquez is batting .381, while Allen Winningham (.377) and Griff Israel (.356) follow.
Eastern Illinois is led by Brian Nickell, who is batting .417 this season. Pete Pirman follows with a .333 batting average and has a team-high six hits.
Shea Douglas (LHP, 3-0, 1.59 ERA) takes the mound for the Golden Eagles in the first game, while Scott Metz (RHP, 0-1, 7.56 ERA) is the probable starter for the Panthers. Douglas has a team-high 22 strikeouts and has allowed just three runs on 10 hits this season. Metz has given up seven runs off seven hits in two starts this season.
Daniel Stewart (RHP, 1-0, 5.00 ERA) is the home starter for game two, facing Eastern Illinois' Pete Martin (RHP, 0-1, 7.20 ERA). After two no-decisions to start the season, Stewart earned his first win of the year against Buffalo last week. Martin gave up four runs on eight hits against Ole Miss last week.
In the final game of the series, Charlie Rogers (RHP, 2-1, 7.80 ERA) gets the nod for Southern Miss and Micah Gray (RHP, 0-1, 9.82 ERA) will start for the Panthers. In his last outing, Rogers allowed seven runs off seven hits against Buffalo. Gray has started one game for Eastern Illinois, allowing seven runs on six hits in 3.2 innings of work against Ole Miss.
After the series with Eastern Illinois, Southern Miss has the week off before opening Conference USA play at TCU, March 15-17. Following the series, the Golden Eagles remain on the road with games at Ole Miss, March 19, and at New Orleans, March 20.
