Southern Miss
Marshall
Golden Eagles take second-straight from Marshall, 7-4
5/18/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BECKLEY, W.Va. -- Southern Miss overcame an early two-run deficit to build a five-run lead, but then had to work out of a bases-load jam in the bottom of the ninth inning to secure a 7-4 victory over Marshall Friday afternoon at Epling Stadium.
With the win, the 18th-ranked Golden Eagles (38-15, 21-6 Conference USA) clinched the final regular-season series. The teams are scheduled to wrap up their three-game set at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.
Casey Maack and Luke Reynolds each hit two-run home runs to help Southern Miss overcome a 2-0 lead by Marshall, and Golden Eagles starting pitcher Walker Powell put up seven solid innings.
Marshall (19-30, 7-21 C-USA) took the lead, scoring in the first inning on Dakota Robbins' run-scoring double and in the third inning on Will Ray's solo home run.
But after missing out on earlier opportunities, Southern Miss finally broke through with five runs in the top of the sixth inning.
Reynolds, Matt Wallner and Hunter Slater hit consecutive singles off Marshall starter Joshua Shapiro (2-5) to get the Golden Eagles on the board.
Cole Donaldson followed an out later with a a run-scoring single, and Reynolds scored the go-head run on a throwing error by catcher Reynaldo Pastrana.
Shapiro was relieved by Hunter Sexton, who promptly gave up Maack's third home run of the season, a two-run shot to left that put the Golden Eagles ahead by three runs.
After Mason Irby extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a single in the seventh inning, Reynolds cracked a two-run home run, his team-leading 14th of the season to give Southern Miss a 7-2 lead.
Powell (7-2), who had kept Marshall off the scoreboard fr four innings, saw Ray reach base on a an error to start the eighth inning and then gave up a two-run home run to Pastrana as the Herd pulled back within three runs.
Trent Driver relieved Powell, and worked around a two-out single to get out of the inning, but then gave up consecutive one-out singles in the ninth.
Adam Jackson relieved Driver, but took a line shot off his arm that went for an infield single to load the bases.
Wallner came in from center field and with one pitch, induced a game-ending double play to pick up his sixth save.
Powell allowed four runs on eight hits over seven innings. He struck out five and did not walk a batter. Donaldson and Reynolds, who drove in two runs and scored twice, each had two hits.
Ray hit three singles for Marshall, and Pastrana had a double and home run. Each scored two runs for the Herd.
