East Carolina Avoids Sweep, Defeats Golden Eagles, 11-7
5/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
East Carolina Avoids Sweep, Defeats Golden Eagles, 11-7
HATTIESBURG, Miss. ? East Carolina scored nine runs over the final four innings to hand Southern Miss the 11-7 Conference USA loss in the Golden Eagles' final home game of the year, Sunday, at Pete Taylor Park.
Down 5-2 entering the sixth inning, the Pirates scored five runs in the frame to take the 7-5 lead, and added three more runs in the seventh to put the game away and avoid the series sweep. Southern Miss (35-17, 18-8 in C-USA) lost for the first time in seven games, scoring seven runs on 11 hits and committing three errors. East Carolina (36-15-1, 15-11-1) plated 11 runs on 16 hits and made just one error.
"We didn't play very well on defense," Golden Eagle Head Coach Corky Palmer said. "We pitched well enough and hit well enough to win a Sunday game, but we didn't make the plays when we needed to."
After two scoreless innings, the Pirates were the first to strike with a run in the third. Ben Sanderson hit a one-out double to get into scoring position and advanced to third on Warren Gaspar's sacrifice fly to right field. Jedd Sorenson then hit a hot shot to Beau Griffin at third base to score Sanderson and advanced to second base on an errant throw, putting East Carolina ahead, 1-0.
Southern Miss answered in the bottom of the inning. Jarrett Hoffpauir led off with a triple to center field, and Griffin reached after being hit by a Jason Mandryk pitch. After Carlos Velasquez popped out to second base, Hoffpauir scored on a wild pitch and Griffin advanced to second. Matt Shepherd hit an infield single to put runners on the corners, and Jeff Cook followed with an RBI-single to right field to score Griffin. On the play, Cook tried to stretch the hit into a double and was thrown out at second base for the second out of the inning. With Shepherd on third, Brad Willcutt launched a two-run homer over left center to give Southern Miss the 4-1 lead.
The Pirates cut the lead to two runs in the fourth inning on Clayton McCullough's lead off home run.
With a run in the bottom of the fifth, the Golden Eagles regained the three-run lead, 5-2.
But it was in the sixth that the Pirates made their move. Darryl Lawhorn and Adam Stephens led off with back-to-back singles to put runners on. McCullough then hit into a fielder's choice, scoring Lawhorn on an errant throw by Shepherd. Daniel Vick drew a walk to load the bases, and both Stephens and McCullough scored on the next hit, a two-run double down the left field line by Luke Cherry. Vick then scored on a wild pitch by reliever Cliff Russum, and the Pirates tacked on one more run on a bases-loaded walk before the inning was over. In the frame, East Carolina scored five runs on five hits and benefited from two Southern Miss errors to take the 7-5 lead.
The Golden Eagles got one run back in the bottom of the inning, as Clint King scored on Hoffpauir's sacrifice fly to center field.
In the seventh, the Pirates put the game out of reach as Sanderson hit a deep fly ball to right center field with two runners on for an inside-the-park home run.
Both teams added a run in the ninth, as Vick scored on Kevin O'Sullivan's RBI-single and Cook hit a solo shot for Southern Miss' final run.
Cook, Willcutt and King all had two hits to lead the Golden Eagles, while Willcutt led with three RBIs.
Daniel Stewart (5-3) took the loss, allowing six runs on eight hits with six strikeouts in five innings of work. Russum gave up four runs, three earned, on five hits with two strikeouts in 1.2 innings, while Brent Leach threw 1.1 scoreless innings. Charlie Rogers pitched the final inning, giving up one run on three hits.
Sanderson led the Pirates with a perfect 4-for-4 performance at the plate, including a home run and three RBIs. Cherry, Gaspar, Sorenson and Vick each had two hits.
Mandryk (6-2) earned the win, allowing six runs, five earned, on nine hits in five innings, while Glenn Tucker picked up the save, giving up one run on two hits in four innings of work.
Southern Miss travels to New Orleans for the final regular season series of the year against Tulane. The series begins on Thursday, with a 6:30 p.m., first pitch. After the series, the Golden Eagles travel to Kinston, N. C., for the postseason Conference USA Tournament.