Baseball Returns Home to Face UAB This Weekend
4/8/2021
UAB (10-16, 3-5 C-USA) at Southern Miss (17-9, 4-3 C-USA)
Games 27-30 | April 9-11, 2021 | Pete Taylor Park | Hattiesburg, Miss.
| Upcoming Games | Time (CT) | Probable Pitchers | Radio & Webstream |
| Fri., April 9 | 3 p.m. | LH Austin Bohanan, Sr. (0-2, 2.84 ERA) vs. RH Hunter Stanley, Sr. (4-1, 2.06) | Southern Miss Network/C-USA.TV |
| Sat., April 10 | 2 p.m. | RH Riley Davis, Jr. (2-2, 3.00 ERA) vs. RH Walker Powell, Sr. (4-1, 2.70) | Southern Miss Network/C-USA.TV |
| Sat., April 10 | Game 2 | RH Tyler O'Clair, So. (3-2, 4.53 ERA) vs. RH Ben Ethridge, Fr. (2-1, 2.78) | Southern Miss Network/C-USA.TV |
| Sun., April 11 | 1 p.m. | TBA vs. LH Drew Boyd, So. (1-2, 4.34) | Southern Miss Network/C-USA.TV |
| Live Stats - | Friday | Sat. (G1) | Sat. (G2) | Sunday | Game Notes |
Last Weekend: The Golden Eagles went on the road and swept UTSA in a three-game series, outscoring the Roadrunners in a typically offensive friendly Roadrunner Field, 33-15. The final game of the four-game set was rained out last Saturday. Southern Miss hit eight home runs in the series, including five - the most for the club in a game since May of 2018 - in the opening game of last Friday’s twinbill. Golden Eagle starting pitchers combined to throw 18 innings and allowed seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits and seven walks with 14 strikeouts for a 2.50 ERA.
The Blazers: UAB comes into the weekend with a 10-16 overall record and a 3-5 in league play after taking one of four games last weekend at Louisiana Tech. The Blazers are under the helm of Perry Roth, who is in his first full season as the team’s head coach. Last season was the first time the two schools did not play since the 1987 season.
| Series (1980-2019) | |
| All-Time | 72-39 |
| In Hattiesburg | 40-14 |
| In Birmingham | 28-24 |
| Neutral | 4-1 |
| Since Joining C-USA (1996) | 55-25 |
| C-USA Series records | 17-7-0 |
| Streak | Lost 1 |
| Last 10 | 8-2 |
Last Time Against UAB: The Golden Eagles will entertain the Blazers for the second-straight time in Hattiesburg after last year’s meeting in Birmingham was scratched due to COVID-19. The Blazers, despite winning just 14 of 54 games against Southern Miss in Hattiesburg, took two of three contests against the Golden Eagles, including a 13-10 decision on getaway day. Matt Wallner hit two home runs in that game to become the school’s all-team home run leader but it was not enough for Southern Miss that day. That was only the second C-USA series loss to the Blazers at home, with the other coming in 2009.
In Conference USA Play: Southern Miss has opened its 25th season of Conference USA - last year’s schedule was canceled due to COVID-19 - and the Golden Eagles have posted a 412-241 (.631) and are 139-77-3 in league series over that time. The Golden Eagles have won 20 league games seven times, including in each of the last four years played.
In April Under Berry: The Golden Eagles have posted a 117-59 record (.665) under Scott Berry in the month of April. The program enjoyed a 10-game winning streak during the month in 2013 and a nine-game streak in 2019. Southern Miss also start streaks in the month of April that carried over into May of 10-or-more victories in a row three times in the Berry era, including in 2010, 2015 and 2017. Southern Miss has started this April by winning its first three games.
Montenegro Getting Hot: Gabe Montenegro hit safely in his last 10 games – all against ranked teams - including one four-hit game and three, three-hit games. His two-run, two-out double in the seventh at Alabama lifted the Golden Eagles to their first win in Tuscaloosa since 2014. Montenegro added three hits, including his second homer of the year, and 3 RBI in a 14-6 win over nationally ranked Louisiana Tech (March 27) in the opening game of a twinbill. He leads the team with 23 runs scored this season from the leadoff spot. He was 7-for-11 against the Bulldogs. Over his 10-game hitting streak, he is .488 (20x41, 5 2B, 3B, HR, 9 RBI) and has raised his average from .182 to .313.
Winning at Home: Since utilizing Pete Taylor Park as its home facility in 1984, the Golden Eagles are 823-344-2 (.705) at their venue, having won at least 20 or more home games in 30 of the 37 campaigns played at the park. During the 1985 and 1986 campaigns, Southern Miss played a handful of home games at Smokey Harrington Park, which is currently the home of Hattiesburg High School.
Season High for Hits: Southern Miss registered a season-high 19 hits in the UTSA series opener and scored in double digits twice in the set, now scoring in double digits five times in 2021.
Double-Digit Strikeouts: Southern Miss has posted 16 double-digit strikeout games over its first 26 contests with four more games of nine strikeouts.
National Statistics: The Golden Eagles pitching staff is listed among the nation’s leaders both as a team and iits individuals. Here is a look at the team’s Top 20 leaders for all categories (through Wednesday’s games):
Pitching
Team
Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio: 1st (4.58)
Walks per 9 Inns.: 5th (2.36)
Shutouts: 8th (4)
WHIP: 9th (1.12)
ERA: 18th (3.32)
Individual
Walks Taken: Charlie Fischer, 1st (28)
Saves: Garrett Ramsey, 3rd (7)
Walks Taken Per Game: Charlie Fischer, 8th (1.12)
Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio: Ben Ethridge, 14th (10.00)
Back to the NCAAs in 2019: Southern Miss appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth-straight year and the 16th time overall, playing in the Baton Rouge Regional to complete its 2019 season. The Golden Eagles made their first-ever appearance in the postseason in 1990, with a trip to Baton Rouge, and at one point, reached regional play nine-straight seasons, from 2003-11.
Golden Eagles Take C-USA Title: Southern Miss captured the last Conference USA tournament title in 2019 and have won three of the last four events - making the championship game in all four seasons. The Golden Eagles also captured the 2018 C-USA regular season and tournament titles, marking the second time Southern Miss had won both C-USA championships in the same season with the other time coming in 2003. Four of the school’s five C-USA regular season titles have come under current head coach Scott Berry, while he has also led Southern Miss to four of their five tournament titles.
