University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Sinks Privateers, 13-2
4/10/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Southern Miss Sinks Privateers, 13-2
HATTIESBURG, Miss. ? Southern Miss equalled its longest winning-streak of the year, winning its fifth straight with a 13-2 victory over visiting New Orleans, Wednesday, at Pete Taylor Park.
The Golden Eagles (23-11) belted 10 hits, scoring 13 runs and benefitting from one Privateer error. New Orleans (18-15) scored just two runs on eight hits.
Daniel Stewart (2-2) earned the pitching win for Southern Miss, allowing just two runs on seven hits and eight strikeouts in eight innings on the mound. Thomas Diamond (0-2) took the loss for UNO, giving up five runs on three hits in two innings of work.
The Golden Eagles got much of their offense on two home runs, a three-run shot by Clint Stoy in the third inning and a grand-slam by Clint King in the fifth inning.
"The home runs were huge, because they gave us a cushion," Souther Miss Head Coach Corky Palmer said. "Stewart pitched a great game, and he deserved the win tonight."
New Orleans, which had defeated the Golden Eagles 10-8 earlier in the season, took the opening lead. Donnie Bollich led off with a single to left field and advanced two bases following a sacrifice bunt by Mark Monaghan and a fly to left center by J. D. Huether. Gabe Trevizo followed with an RBI double to left center, plating Bollich and giving the Privateers the 1-0 lead.
Southern Miss could not get any offense going in the first inning, as Thomas rendered the home batters hitless in the bottom of the inning.
After two-and-a-half scoreless innings, however, the Golden Eagles found their touch. In the bottom of the third, Matt Shepherd led off with a single down the right field line to reach base. Carlos Velasquez and Allen Winningham reached to load the bases on back-to-back walks by Thomas. Thomas then hit Jeff Cook with a pitch to score Shepherd, tying the game, 1-1. Brad Willcutt singled to score Velasquez, and Griff Israel followed with a two-RBI single off reliever Brandon Migues to give Southern Miss the 4-1 lead. Four pitches later, Stoy belted his homer over the left field wall, putting the game out of reach, 7-1.
The Golden Eagles added five more runs in the fifth inning, anchored by King's grand-slam bomb. Willcutt scored the other run of the inning on a wild pitch.
New Orleans tacked on another run in the sixth inning, but it was all the visitors could do. Justin Guilbeau doubled to lead off the inning and scored two batters later on Paul Koslowski's groundout to first base.
Southern Miss' final run came in the seventh, as Winningham scored on Willcutt's sacrifice fly.
Willcutt, Israel and King led the Golden Eagles with two hits apiece. John Nicholas threw the final inning in relief, allowing just one hit.
Bollich was the lone Privateer with multiple hits. Along with Thomas, Migues, Beau Vaughan, Jeff Stander, Lucas Trotter, Josh Euper and Barry Melancon all saw action on the mound.
Southern Miss resumes Conference USA play with a three-game series at home against Louisville this weekend. The opening game is set for 6:30 p.m., Friday.
