University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Baseball Blanks Eastern Illinois, 11-0, Sweeps Series
3/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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Baseball Blanks Eastern Illinois, 11-0, Sweeps Series
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss? Patrick Ezell scattered six hits over eight shutout innings and struck out a career-high 10 batters to earn his first collegiate victory, and Matt Shepherd and Marc Maddox each finished with three hits to lead the Golden Eagles to an 11-0 victory over Eastern Illinois, today, at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field to complete the three-game weekend series sweep.
With today's win, Southern Miss (14-2) has won 11 of its last 12 games and has swept all four weekend series this year. Ezell (1-0) picked up his first victory of the season in his second start and fourth appearance. He didn't have any walks and only two extra base hits, both doubles, one in the first inning and one in the eighth.
"Patrick did a good job for us today," Southern Miss Head Coach Corky Palmer said. "He didn't have any walks and has only walked one all year. He's had two quality starts for us now. We continue to hit the ball. It's about to pick up next week. I'm excited to see where we are going to be in a few weeks.
"I feel better about the next few weeks now that Patrick is pitching well for us. We love our bullpen when we can get to them. The middle of the week is still a question. I haven't decided who is going to throw on Tuesday. I will probably throw 4-5 guys. Maddox has caught fire with the power numbers. Jarrett (Hoffpauir) and Matt (Shepherd) have been tremendous this year."
Austin Tubb came on in relief and finished the final inning, giving up two hits and striking out two. The Golden Eagle pitching staff has now pitched 19-straight scoreless innings, dating back to the ninth inning of Friday night's game.
Southern Miss finished with 11 runs on 12 hits and didn't have any errors, while Eastern Illinois (1-8) finished with eight hits and committed one error. Panther starting pitcher Anthony Billups (0-1) dropped his first decision of the season, pitching one inning, gave up three runs on two hits and walked three.
Shepherd finished with a single, double and triple, while Maddox had a single, a double and a homer, his third round-tripper in the weekend series, one in each game and drove in six runs. Beau Griffin finished with two hits to round out the Golden Eagles who finished with multiple hits. Paul Dean was the only Panther hitter to have more than one hit, finishing 2-for-3 at the plate.
The Golden Eagles scored one run in the first, three in the second, four in the fourth, one in the seventh and two in the eighth inning. Southern Miss took an early 1-0 lead after the first inning, when
Shepherd and Maddox hit back to back doubles, Shepherd's to right center and Maddox's to left field, scoring Shepherd.
Brad Willcutt walked to lead off the second, Coker walked and Griffin was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Shepherd walked to plate Willcutt from third, and Maddox grounded to short, scoring Coker from third for the second run of the inning. After Hoffpauir was intentionally walked to load the bases again, Griffin scored on a wild pitch for the third run of the inning, giving Southern Miss a 4-0 lead.
The Golden Eagles broke the game open in the fourth, scoring four runs on five hits. Griffin reached on a bunt single to third. Shepherd singled to left center, moving Grififn to second, before Maddox hit his fourth homer of the season over the left center, plating three more and extending Southern Miss' lead to 7-0. Hoffpauir singled to right center, and Frith reached an infield single. Carlos Velasquez flew out to deep center, moving Hoffpauir to third and scored when Lowery flew out to center.
Southern Miss scored another run in the seventh to extend its lead to 9-0. Grffin singled through the left side, moved to second on Shepherd's walk and then both advanced a base on a passed ball. Maddox grounded out to short, plating Grffin from third.
The Golden Eagles scored their 10th run on Eddie Burger's pinch-hit homer over left field and then the 11th run on Coker's home run to left field, to provide the final outcome.
Southern Miss continues its homestand with a Tuesday night game with Southeastern Louisiana at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field at 6:30 p.m. The Golden Eagles open defense of their 2003 regular season and tournament championships with a three-game weekend series with Houston. Friday's game starts at 6:30 p.m., Saturday's at 3 p.m., and Sunday's at 1 p.m.
