University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Baseball Drops Game One at Tulane 4-3
4/18/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 18, 2008
NEW ORLEANS - Southern Miss rallied late but could not come from behind, dropping the opening game of the series at Tulane 4-3 at Turchin Stadium in New Orleans.
Tulane jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings but Southern Miss scored in the eighth and ninth innings to cut the game to within one run, but left the tying run on second base in the ninth inning.
Southern Miss has no answer for Tulane staff ace Shooter Hunt (6-1). He threw seven innings, allowing only two hits and striking out 12 Golden Eagle hitters.
Josh Billeaud started rough for Southern Miss giving up four runs in the first two frames, but settled down and pitched well after the shaky start. He threw 5.1 innings allowing seven hits and four runs.
The Golden Eagles managed only four hits in the game, a home run, two doubles and a single. Michael hit an inside the park home run for the Eagles first hit and run in the fifth inning.
Tulane wasted no time getting on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Leadoff batter Ajo Barto led off the game with a walk and went to third on a double to right-center by Anthony Scelfo. Barto came in to score the games first run on a Billeaud wild pitch.
After getting double play and almost wiggling out of the jam Rob Segedin hit his third home run of the season with two outs giving the Green Wave a 3-0 early lead.
Tulane continued their scoring in the second inning, adding another run on a sacrifice by Seth Henry scoring Warren McFadden who walked to lead off the inning, giving the Green Wave a 3-0 lead.
Michael Ewing put Southern Miss on the board with the teams first hit and run as he hit a fly ball down the right field line that fell in for a hit, just inches inside the painted turf line. Tulane right fielder Drew Allain dove for the ball and slid into the wall and was unable to get up as Ewing circled the bases for an inside the park home run.
Southern Miss scored their second run of the game in the top of the eighth inning. James Ewing doubled to right-center to end the day for Hunt. Trey Sutton entered the game as a pinch hitter for his first at bat since April 1 against Troy and picked up an RBI single to score Ewing and cut the Green Wave lead in half at 4-2.
Drew Carson led off the top of the ninth with a double down the left field line and was still standing on second base with two outs. Bo Davis hit a routine ground ball that Tulane's shortstop over threw allow Carson to score and Davis to reach second as the tying run, but that was as close as Southern Miss would get.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow at Turchin Stadium for the second game of the series, first pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. with Todd McInnis getting the ball for Southern Miss and facing Tulane's LHP Matt Petition.
-southernmiss.com-
