University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Golden Eagle Baseball Blanks Mississippi Valley State, 9-0
4/30/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Golden Eagle Baseball Blanks Mississippi Valley State, 9-0
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss' Allen Winningham went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Matt Shepherd and Carlos Velasquez finished with two hits each, Griff Israel had a two-run triple, and Brian Hurley pitched five scorless innings to lead the Golden Eagles to a 9-0 shutout victory over Mississippi Valley State at Pete Taylor Park tonight.
The Golden Eagles (30-16) scored three runs in the first, one in the third, two in the fourth and fifth and one in the seventh inning on 10 hits and committed one error. The Delta Devis (10-38) finished with nine hits and committed two errors. Southern Miss left 11 on base, while Mississippi Valley State left 12 runners stranded.
Brian Hurley (4-1) pitched five innings, giving up four hits, walking two and striking out two. Brent Leach came on in relief in the sixth inning, pitching two innings, giving up two hits, walking two and striking out two, and Anthony Dewitt finished the game, pitching the final two innings, giving up three hits, walking one and striking out two batters.
The Golden Eagles took an early 3-0 lead in the first inning. Carlos Velasquez singled and stole second, before Jeff Cook walked and moved to third on Brad Willcutt's single through the right side that scored Velasquez. Israel flew out to left, plating Cook from third. Clint Stoy walked, advancing Willcutt to second, before a wild pitch sent him to third and then he scored on Jarrett Hoffpauir's grounder to third that was misplayed.
Southern Miss pushed its lead to 4-0 in the third inning. Israel reached on a fielding error by third baseman Jason Chabrek, advanced to third on Stoy's single to left center and then scored when Clint King hit into a double play.
The Golden Eagles tacked on two more runs in the fourth, pushing their lead to 6-0. Winningham led off the inning with a double down the left field line, and then advanced to third on Cook's ground out to second. Willcutt walked before Israel ripped a triple down the right field line, scoring both Winningham and Cook.
Southern Miss put two more runs on the board in the fifth inning, extending its lead to 8-0. Shepherd reached on a one-out infield bunt single and moved to third on Velasquez's single to right field. Velasquez stole second, before Winningham drove home both runners with a single to center.
The Golden Eagles added their final run in the seventh inning, extending their lead to 9-0, the final outcome. Hoffpauir was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, moved to second when Matt Benson walked, and both advanced to second and third when Velasquez grounded out to first. After the Delta Devils made a pitching change, Winningham was walked, before Cook flew out to left field, driving in Hoffpauir from third.
Joseph Liberto (5-5) dropped the decision, pitching 3.2 innings, giving up six runs, four earned, on six hits, walking six and striking out two. Josh Hailey came on in relief in the fourth inning, pitching 2.1 innings, giving up three runs on three hits, walking one and striking out four. The Delta Devils used three more pitchers spread over two innings. They gave up one hit, walked two and struck out six.
The Golden Eagles host Memphis in a Conference USA weekend series on May 3-5. Friday's game begins at 6:30 p.m., Saturday's at 2 p.m., and Sunday's at 1 p.m.
