University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Baseball Hosts South Alabama and New Orleans in Midweek Contests
2/19/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 19, 2007
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss baseball team (3-0) hosts South Alabama on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 4 p.m., and New Orleans on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 4 p.m., at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field.
The game will be broadcast on WXHB, 96.5-FM and will be anchored by veteran broadcasters Lance Pittman and Jason Baker with the "Keg and Barrel Pregame Show" starting at 3:30 p.m. The game also will feature "live stats" from the SouthernMiss.com.
Tuesday's match-up marks the 73rd meeting between Southern Miss and South Alabama, with South Alabama holding a 50-22 advantage, dating back to 1967. Wednesday's game marks the 84th meeting between Southern Miss and New Orleans, with UNO holding a 47-36 series lead.
The Golden Eagles are 125-139 against teams which hail from the Sun Belt Conference, but Southern Miss Head Coach Corky Palmer has posted a 41-31 record against teams from the Sun Belt. He is 9-10 against USA and 10-8 against UNO.
Southern Miss won the Coca-Cola Southern Miss Baseball Classic this past weekend, posting a 3-0 record, winning 9-0 against Southern Illinois, 6-5 against Louisville and 10-7 against Northwestern State. The Golden Eagles have posted a 17-4 record in season tournaments since 2002, and captured seven tournament championships during that time.
South Alabama opened its season this past weekend, winning two-of-three games against Mercer in Mobile, 7-5 in game one, 13-11 in game two and dropped the finale, 9-5. UNO has been playing for two weeks and has posted a 2-4 record. The Privateers lost their first two games at Ole Miss, 7-2 and 4-0. They defeated Southern University, 22-11, in a mid-week game before dropping two of three against New Mexico State, 5-7, 17-8 and 5-12.
Freshman right-hander Todd McInnis will take the mound for his first career appearance for Southern Miss against South Alabama junior college transfer left-hander Brandon Sage. Junior right-hander Bryan Cryer will take the mound for New Orleans to face a pitcher to be named later for the Golden Eagles.
Neither McInnis nor Sage has pitched this season. McInnis was tabbed "Mr. Baseball" by The Clarion Ledger last season after posting a 10-1 record with a 1.25 ERA in 78.1 innings pitched. He struck out 120 and walked only 24.
UNO's Cryer has pitched two games this season, posting an 0-1 record with a 5.25 ERA in 12.0 innings pitched. He has struck out seven, walked one and opponents are hitting .314 against him. In his last outing against New Mexico State on Friday, he pitched six innings, giving up two runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out seven batters.
The Golden Eagles are led by sophomore shortstop Brian Dozier, who is hitting .500 with two stolen bases and two RBIs. As the team's leadoff hitter, he reached base safely in 8-of-15 times for a .533 on-base percentage.
Sophomore outfielder Michael Ewing is hitting .357 with three RBIs, including hitting the game-winning hit against Louisville in Saturday's game. Bailey Hartel is batting .308 with a double and an RBI, and junior first baseman Trey Sutton has a triple, a team-leading five RBIs and three walks.
Junior outfielder Ray Kruml leads South Alabama with a .500 batting average with four walks, four stolen bases and an RBI. Junior infielder Ryne Jernigan is hitting .400 with a double, a walk and three RBIs, and David Doss is batting .385, a triple and an RBI. Senior outfielder Bill Kleinschrodt is hitting .364 and has the team's lone home run and is tied for the team lead in RBIs with three.
UNO is led by sophomore second baseman Johnny Giavotella, who is hitting .435 with two doubles, two triples, two home runs, seven walks and 13 RBIs. Sophomore first baseman Nick Mitchell is hitting .429 with two RBIs and senior outfielder Brandon Bowser is hitting .364 with a double, a triple, five walks and an RBI.
After Tuesday's and Wednesday's games, Southern Miss travels to Dothan, Ala., for the Wiregrass Classic hosted by Troy. The Golden Eagles face Georgia Southern on Friday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m., Indiana on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 2 p.m., and Troy on Sunday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.
