University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss
Louisiana Tech
Baseball Falls in Series Finale to La. Tech, 11-4
3/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 15, 2009
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss could not complete the sweep suffering a 11-4 loss to La. Tech Sunday afternoon at Pete Taylor Park.
"I think our inexperience really showed today," head coach Corky Palmer said. "I think we have a lot of talent but we have two of our best defenders missing on the field in Bo Davis and James Ewing. Once these guys play more games I think we will be fine but we are very inexperienced right now."
Southern Miss committed five errors leading to five unearned runs on the afternoon while allowing 13 Tech hits and 11 runs.
The Golden Eagle offense did connect for 12 hits marking the 12th time this season they have recoded double digit hits in 16 games. Bo Davis led the attack with three hits including a solo home run, two runs scored and a RBI in just his second game back from injury. He has his safely in every game he has played this season, nine total.
Tyler Koelling was three-for-three on the afternoon with a walk and both Brian Dozier and Taylor Walker had two hits a piece extending their hitting streak.
La Tech started the scoring in the top of the third tallying five runs, four unearned with the help of four Golden Eagle errors in the frame. Catcher Matt Combs started the inning with a single to left field. Joey Archer made the first error of the inning throwing the ball away trying to turn a double play on a ground ball hit by Patrick Thomas. Nick Grunenwald followed with an RBI single to score Combs and right fielder Tyler Koelling misplayed the ball to allow Thomas to advance to third.
Grundenwald broke for second and was caught in a run down but as Thomas broke for the plate Archer over threw home allowing Thomas to score the second run of the inning. Kevin Winn followed with an RBI double down the right field line adding the third run of the inning and came around to score on a RBI single by Clint Stubbs.
Jonathan Johnston enter the game in relief of Scott Copeland and left the bases loaded to end the Tech threat. Copeland worked 2.2 innings allowing six hits and five runs, only one earned.
Tech added five more runs in the top of the fourth again aided by a Southern Miss error off new pitcher Seth Hester. Dozier committed his second error of the game on a Grunenwald ground ball to start the inning. Winn followed with a single and Devon Dageford doubled home Grunenwald. Alex Williams singled up the middle to score Winn Chris Kersten doubled to left center field to score Williams and Dageford.
Mark Threlkeld added a RBI single to end the day for Seth Hester after one-third of an inning allowing five hits and five runs, four earned.
Bo Davis hit his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot to right-center field to put Southern Miss on the board and extend his hitting streak to nine games, which is every game he has played in this season.
Winn added a RBI double in the top of the fifth off Jeff Stanley to score Thomas for the 11th run of the game for the Bulldogs.
Southern Miss struck again in the bottom of the sixth as Brian Dozier doubled down the left field line to extend his hitting streak to 16 games, which is every game of the season. Davis legged out an infield single and Tech shortstop Nick Grunenwald overthrew first base allowing Dozier to score from third.
The Golden Eagles added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth as Kyle Maxie delivered a two-out two-RBI flare to left field to score Davis and Stevens who both singled earlier in the inning.
Southern Miss returns to action Tuesday as they play Mississippi State at Trustmark Park. Tickets are available at the Mississippi Braves ticket office and through Ticketmaster. The Southern Miss ticket office does not have tickets for this event. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. in Pearl, Miss and Todd McInnis will start on the bump for Southern Miss.
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