Southern Miss
East Carolina
Baseball Splits Twin Bill at No. 24 ECU
4/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 25, 2009
GREENVILLE, NC -
Southern Miss rebounded from a 13-5 loss in game one to defeat No. 24 ECU 2-1 in the nightcap behind a strong pitching performance by Todd McInnis in Greenville, NC on Saturday.
McInnis was masterful in game two, holding the nations No. 2 hitting offense scoreless and to just two hits over 7.2 innings.
"In game one we did not pitch very well," head coach Corky Palmer said. "In game two McInnis was as solid as he could be and he had to be to shut down a team that hits as well as East Carolina does. This was a good win for against a very good team."
GAME ONE RECAP
ECU 13, Southern Miss 5
The first five innings featured four different lead changes and three ties before ECU used an eight run fifth inning to put the game away and cruise to a 13-5 victory over Southern Miss.
The first game of the twin bill featured seven home runs, three by the Golden Eagles. Taylor Walker and Kyle Maxie both hit solo shots and Joey Archer added in a two run blast.
Archer put together another 3-for-4 game, with the RBI and a run scored.
Kameron Brunty had three hits and James Ewing added in two hits, helping Southern Miss to 12 total hits in the game, the 16th time this season they have accumulated at least 10 hits in a game.
East Carolina started the scoring in the top of the first with an unearned run. After a James Ewing fielding error extended the inning, Stephen Batts hit an RBI single to right field to put Southern Miss in an early 1-0 hole.
The Golden Eagles answered right back with three singles hit by James Ewing, Kameron Brunty and Joey Archer, with Archer's single to left-center field scoring Ewing to tie the game at one.
ECU added two additional unearned runs on a fielding error by Josh Fields and a wild pitch in the bottom of the second, ECU's Trent Whitehead had the only hit in the frame, a RBI single to left field.
Southern Miss tied the game in the top of the fourth inning on Joey Archer's seventh home run of the season, a two-run shot over the left-center field wall.
The Pirates answered right back with a Trent Whitehead solo home run in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 4-3.
Taylor Walker led off the top of the fifth inning with a solo home run down the left field line, his third of the season to tie the game at four.
ECU retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth putting up eight runs on three home runs, Stephen Batts hit a two-run home run to left-center, Drew Schieber blasted a three-run shot and two-run shot by Kyle Roller. The Pirates added another run on a safety squeeze by Ryan Wood to cap the eight run inning.
Kyle Maxie added a solo home run to cap the scoring in the top of the ninth, his second of the season.
GAME TWO RECAP
Southern Miss 2, ECU 1
Todd McInnis held one of the top offenses in the nation scoreless over 7.2 innings, allowing only two hits and striking out eight to pick up his sixth win fo the season.
East Carolina entered the game second in the nation with 519 hits on the season, but McInnis held the Pirates hitless until two outs were recorded in the bottom of the fourth. ECU recorded their only other hit in the sixth inning. McInnis allowed only five base runners in the game, the two hits, two walks and strikeout that reached base on a throwing error.
Collin Cargill picked up his seventh save of the season, working 1.1 innings allowing two hits, one of which was a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the ninth for the Pirates only run.
Freshman BA Vollmuth earned his first career start at shortstop and had his best overall game as a Golden Eagle playing solid defense and picking up three hits, including his first career home run. He was the only Golden Eagle with multiple hits in the game.
Southern Miss took their first lead of the series in the top of the first as Taylor Walker drew a lead off walk to start the game and came around to score on Bo Davis' sacrifice fly.
Freshman BA Vollmuth extended the Southern Miss lead with the Golden Eagles first hit in the top of the fifth inning, a solo shot to right field making the score 2-0.
Southern Miss returns to action Tuesday at Trustmark Park as they battle No. 11 Ole Miss for the second time in less than a week.
-southernmiss.com-
