Friday, February 17
Pete Taylor Park
4 p.m.
Southern Miss
1-0
3
vs
0
Liberty
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Liberty
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
Southern Miss
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
X
3
8
0
Baseball Blanks Liberty 3-0 in Season Opener
2/17/2023 7:56:00 PM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Blake Johnson went three-for-three and All-American pitcher Tanner Hall threw five shutout innings as Southern Miss blanked Liberty 3-0 in both team's season opener Friday afternoon at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field.
The Golden Eagles captured their ninth-straight season opener and their first shutout on opening day since defeating Murray State 6-0 to start the 2020 campaign.
Johnson got the Golden Eagles going with a leadoff walk to start the second off of ASUN Preseason Pitcher of the Year Garrett Horn. Gabe Lacy, the next batter, got hit by a pitch before newcomer Matthew Etzel singled though the right side to plate Johnson for the game's first run.
Johnson then added a solo home run in the fourth with a shot to left center to increase the Golden Eagle lead, before Christopher Sargent drove in the team's final run on a bases loaded fielder's choice in the fifth to compete the home team's scoring.
Hall, along with relievers Tyler Martin and Justin Storm, limited Liberty to one hit. The hit, an infield chopper by Victor Castillo in the fifth was one of only three base runners Hall allowed to reach base in his outing.
The junior from Zachary, La., also surrendered a couple of walks with five strikeouts as he registered the victory.
Martin, a transfer from Nebraska, went three scoreless innings, giving up a walk with three strikeouts, while Storm threw a perfect ninth with a pair of strikeouts to earn his first career save.
Horn left after four innings for the Flames, surrendering two runs on two hits with three walks and seven strikeouts to suffer the loss. Six Liberty pitchers did collect 16 strikeouts in outing and Southern Miss stranded 13 in the games, including the bases loaded three times.
Johnson collected three of the Golden Eagles' eight hits, while Etzel added two.
The two teams continue their series Saturday at 4 pm. Please be aware of the parking situation on campus Saturday. Here is a link to parking information for the day.
The Golden Eagles captured their ninth-straight season opener and their first shutout on opening day since defeating Murray State 6-0 to start the 2020 campaign.
Johnson got the Golden Eagles going with a leadoff walk to start the second off of ASUN Preseason Pitcher of the Year Garrett Horn. Gabe Lacy, the next batter, got hit by a pitch before newcomer Matthew Etzel singled though the right side to plate Johnson for the game's first run.
Johnson then added a solo home run in the fourth with a shot to left center to increase the Golden Eagle lead, before Christopher Sargent drove in the team's final run on a bases loaded fielder's choice in the fifth to compete the home team's scoring.
Hall, along with relievers Tyler Martin and Justin Storm, limited Liberty to one hit. The hit, an infield chopper by Victor Castillo in the fifth was one of only three base runners Hall allowed to reach base in his outing.
The junior from Zachary, La., also surrendered a couple of walks with five strikeouts as he registered the victory.
Martin, a transfer from Nebraska, went three scoreless innings, giving up a walk with three strikeouts, while Storm threw a perfect ninth with a pair of strikeouts to earn his first career save.
Horn left after four innings for the Flames, surrendering two runs on two hits with three walks and seven strikeouts to suffer the loss. Six Liberty pitchers did collect 16 strikeouts in outing and Southern Miss stranded 13 in the games, including the bases loaded three times.
Johnson collected three of the Golden Eagles' eight hits, while Etzel added two.
The two teams continue their series Saturday at 4 pm. Please be aware of the parking situation on campus Saturday. Here is a link to parking information for the day.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hall, Tanner (1-0)
L: HORN, Garrett (0-1)
S: Storm, Justin (1)
Base Running:
HBP: TROYER, Camden 1
Batting:
2B: Etzel, Matthew 1
3B: Dickerson, Dustin 1
HR: Johnson, Blake 1
RBI: Etzel, Matthew 1 ; Sargent, Christopher 1 ; Johnson, Blake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Etzel, Matthew 1 ; Johnson, Blake 2
SB: Etzel, Matthew 1 ; Dickerson, Dustin 1
HBP: Paetow, Carson 1 ; Lacy, Gabe 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
UTIL
/ Baseball
LHP
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