University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Downs Charlotte, 9-3, In Series Opener
4/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Southern Miss Downs Charlotte, 9-3, In Series Opener
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Southern Miss spread nine runs over six innings, and Shea Douglas (6-1) picked up his sixth win of the season, pitching seven innings, giving up three runs on seven hits, walking three and striking out nine, leading the Golden Eagles to a 9-3 Conference USA series opening victory over Charlotte at Tom and Lib Phillips Field, tonight.
Griff Israel, Clint Stoy and Matt Shepherd led the Golden Eagles with two hits each. Allen Winningham had only one hit but his two RBIs led Southern Miss in that department. Cliff Russum picked up his third save of the season, pitching the final two innings, giving up two hits, walking two and striking out two.
Charlotte (16-13, 6-4) was led by Alex Derhak with three hits in four at bats and Brian Bowman had two hits for the 49ers. Pat Gambale (2-1) took the loss for Charlotte, pitching four innings, giving up five runs on five hits,
walking five and striking out one.
?We scored early and kept the pressure on them by scoring runs throughout the game,? Southern Miss Head Coach Corky Palmer said. ?Shea pitched a good game tonight, going seven strong innings. He got in a little trouble in the fourth inning but kept battling and got out of it without too much damage. Cliff did the job, coming in and finishing the game. We got some big hits tonight but still left too many runners on base. It was a good way to open the series, and now we have to get ready for game two.?
Southern Miss (19-11, 7-3) took the lead in the top of the first inning, when Winningham blasted a one-out solo homer over the left centerfield fence, his fifth of the season. The Golden Eagles tacked on two more in the second inning, pushing their lead to 3-0. Jarrett Hoffpauir walked with one out, and Jason Lowery was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Shepherd singled to left center, driving in Hoffpauir. Carlos Velasquez walked to load the bases before Winningham lined out to left field, plating Lowery for the second run of the inning.
Southern Miss scored a run in the fourth inning, pushing its lead to 4-0. Lowery walked to lead off the inning, moved to second on Shepherd?s walk and then scored on Velasquez?s single to left center.
Charlotte cut the lead in the half in the fourth inning, scoring two runs on three hits. Brad Lamm led off the inning with a single to right field, moved to second on Thomas Bowker?s single in right field and both moved up a base on a Shea Douglas balk. Douglas then threw a wild pitch, allowing Lamm to score from second and Bowker to move to third. Alex Derhak then tripled to center, scoring Bowker for the second run of the inning. Douglas struck out the next two to end the inning.
Southern Miss tacked on another run in the fifth inning, pushing its lead to 5-2. Brad Willcutt led off with a single up the middle, moved to second on Israel?s single to right field, to third on Hoffpauir?s single up the middle and then scored when Lowery was hit by a pitch.
The Golden Eagles pushed their lead up by one more in the seventh, 6-2, with a one-out homer over the left field fence by Clint Stoy, his second of the season. Hoffpauir grounded out to short, and Lowery grounded out to first to end the inning. Charlotte cut the Golden Eagle lead by one in the bottom of inning, cutting the lead to 6-3. Travis Hill walked, stole second and then scored on Brian Bowman?s single to right field.
Southern Miss scored three insurance runs in the ninth inning, putting the game out of reach, 9-3. Jeff Cook led off with a single to left, stole second and scored on Israel?s ground rule double to right field. Stoy pushed Israel to third when the right fielder dropped his fly out, putting Israel on third and Stoy on second. Hoffpauir flew out to center, plating Israel and the Stoy scored on Clint King's single to right field.
The two teams play the second game of the Conference USA weekend series Saturday, starting at 1 p.m., CT.
