University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss
New Orleans
Bats Stay Hot as Southern Miss defeats UNO, 13-5
2/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Junior JR Ballinger was outstanding in the first start of his career after working exclusively out of the bull pen his first two seasons. He worked six innings allowing only five hits and one earned run while striking out three to pick up the win.
"We swung the bats well again tonight but the key to the game was Ballinger pitching well," head coach Corky Palmer said. "UNO is a good hitting team but he was able to shut them down tonight. He has been a good reliever for us the past two years and he has worked hard to be a better pitcher and I think that really showed tonight with his performance."
Through four games the Southern Miss offense has produced 56 runs on 56 hits including eight doubles, three triples and five home runs while driving in 49 runs and hitting .378.
The Southern Miss (4-0) offense picked up right where they left off from this weekend's series and wasted no time getting on scoreboard early as Bo Davis lined the fifth pitch from UNO starter Jim McGonigle over the left field wall for a quick 1-0 lead. Kameron Brunty followed with a walk and Brian Dozier doubled down the left field line before Corey Stevens walked to load the bases with no one out.
Joey Archer delivered a sacrifice fly to left field to score Brunty from third and give Southern Miss a 2-0 lead. Travis Graves followed with a bases clearing double down the left field line to score Dozier and Stevens to cap the four run first frame.
Southern Miss added an unearned run in the top of the second as Taylor Walker reached a on a fielding error by UNO shortstop Blake Doty advancing all the way to second on a hustle two-base error. Davis sacrificed him to third and Brunty singled to first base to score Walker for a 5-0 lead.
Southern Miss picked up the scoring again in the bottom of the fourth as Brunty lined a two-RBI single to right field scoring Michael Ewing and Walker for a 7-0 lead. Brunty stole second and came around to score as Doty committed his second error of the game, this time off the bat of Corey Stevens for the eighth Golden Eagle run.
The runs continued in the fifth inning as Graves drew a leadoff walk and came around to score on a Walker single to left field.
UNO cracked the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning with two runs keyed by an Alan Harris double.
Southern Miss answered the two UNO runs in the top of the sixth with four runs in the bottom portion of the inning. Dozier singled to right field to start the rally and Stevens drew a walk before Archer sacrificed both runners into scoring position. Josh Fields delivered a two-RBI double off the right-center field wall to score Dozier and Stevens.
Travis Graves added the second home run of the game for the Golden Eagles and his first of the season, a two-run shot over the left-center field wall to make the score 13-2.
UNO (3-2) added three runs in the top of the eighth inning on a three-run home run by Jerad Comarda off Seth Hester who was in relief of Ballinger to make the score 13-5.
Jonathan Johnston worked a perfect ninth inning on the mound for the Golden Eagles, striking out two of his three batters.
Southern Miss returns to action tomorrow afternoon as South Alabama visits "The Pete," first pitch is set for 4:00 p.m.
-southernmiss.com-
