Southern Miss
Rice
Baseball Drops Third Straight with Loss to No. 7 Rice
3/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 21, 2009
HATTIESBURG, Miss - The Southern Miss baseball team fell to 12-8 on the season and 0-2 in Conference USA Play with a 16-4 loss to No. 7 Rice Saturday afternoon at Pete Taylor Park.
Rice scored seven runs in the first two frames and belted four home runs on the afternoon to defeat the Golden Eagles for the second consecutive game. Southern Miss starting pitcher Kyle Lindsey lasted only two innings this afternoon.
"Nothing good ever happens when you starting pitcher gets knocked out in the second inning," head coach Corky Palmer said. "There is a sense of urgency now to turn things around but we are struggling in all phases of the game right now."
Kyle Maxie led the Southern offense with three singles on the afternoon. Taylor Walker and Brian Dozier both had two hits a piece as well.
Rice (14-5, 2-0 C-USA) scored the first runs of the game in the top of the first as Kyle Lindsey allowed two walks and hit a batter before Craig Manuel delivered a two-out, two-RBI bases loaded single to right field.
Southern Miss answered right back in the bottom of the first as Taylor Walker led off with a solid single to right field to extend his hitting streak to 17 games on the season. Kameron Brunty drew a walk and Brian Dozier delivered a RBI single up the middle to score Walker.
Bo Davis advanced both runners with a swinging bunt back to the pitcher and Corey Stevens drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Joey Archer followed with a ground ball to the right side which forced Stevens at second base and allowed Brunty to score from third. As Rice tried to turn a double play the throw from shortstop Ricky Hague sailed into the dugout allowing Dozier to score the third run of the inning.
Rice answered immediately in the top of the second as Jimmy Comerota hit a solo shot home run to left field, Diego Seastruck delivered an RBI single and Hague hit a three-run home run to cap the five run frame and make the score 7-3.
Lindsey's day was complete after two innings allowing seven runs on six hits while striking out three and walking two.
Anthony Rendon added a two run home run in the top of the fourth off Scott Copeland to make the score 9-3.
Southern Miss cut into the rice lead in the bottom of the fourth as Kyle Maxie singled to leftfield, stole second and came around to score on a RBI single by Taylor Walker.
Jeff Stanley was able to hold the Rice offense in check for three innings, allowing only one hit and striking out three from the fifth through the seventh.
Matt Warren worked a perfect eighth inning but had to take one for the team in the ninth allowing seven runs on seven hits, thought only three of the runs were earned.
"It got out of hand in that last inning and we have used so many pitchers this week with a five game week that I had no choice but to leave Matt out there, which was touch for him," Palmer added.
Rice used an RBI single by Manuel, a dropped fly ball by Brunty allowed two runs to score, a RBI double by Holt, a Seastruck sacrifice fly and a Rendon two-run home run to tally seven late runs for the Owls and make the score 16-4.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow for the final game of the series. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. at Pete Taylor Park.
-southernmiss.com-
