Sunday, February 19
Pete Taylor Park
11:30 a.m.
Southern Miss
3-0
7
vs
2
Liberty
0-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Liberty
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
5
2
Southern Miss
1
0
0
0
2
1
0
3
X
7
9
1
Photo by: Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com
Baseball Completes Sweep of Liberty with 7-2 Sunday victory
2/19/2023 3:18:00 PM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Matthew Etzel drove in two runs from the top of the lineup and Niko Mazza threw 5 1/3 strong innings in his first career start to lead Southern Miss to a 7-2 victory Sunday over Liberty to complete a three-game series sweep at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field.
The Golden Eagles (3-0) won their ninth-straight season series opener, which includes eight sweeps over that time, and improved to 4-0 all-time over the Flames.
Mazza, who was celebrating his 21st birthday, limited Liberty (0-3) to four hits and two walks with a career-best six strikeouts as he only gave up RBI single by Gray Betts in the third. He retired eight in a row at one point to earn his first career Golden Eagle victory.
As for the Golden Eagle offense, they jumped out to an early lead with a solo run in the first.
Dustin Dickerson collected a one-out double, his first of two in the game, and moved up to third on a stolen base before Carson Paetow drove him on a groundout to short.
After Liberty tied the game in the third, Southern Miss took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the fifth.
Both Rodrigo Montenegro and Danny Lynch walked to start the fifth and each advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by Gabe Lacy. Montenegro then scored on a Liberty wild pitch, before Etzel's double that scooted just by first base down the line scored Lynch.
Another wild pitch in the sixth to allow Tate Parker increased the score to 4-1, Golden Eagles, before the home team exploded for three final runs in the eighth.
Parker led off the eighth with a solo homer to left center for his first shot as a Southern Miss player. Slade Wilks followed one pitch later with a double, before Blake Johnson reached on a fielding error by Liberty third baseman Cam Foster.
Lynch followed with a double of his own to plate Wilks and Johnson scored on a Etzel sacrifice fly to complete the scoring.
Liberty added their only other run on a solo home run by Camden Troyer to open the ninth off Justin Storm. The homer was the only extra-bat hit in the series for the Flames.
Golden Eagle relievers Billy Oldham got two outs of scoreless relief to end Mazza's last frame, before JB Middleton fanned four in two innings of work and Storm got the final three outs in the ninth.
The Golden Eagle pitching staff allowed just two earned runs over the first three games.
Liberty starter Mikey Tepper, a transfer from Mississippi State, gave up three runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts to suffer the loss and fall to 0-1.
The Golden Eagles continue their season-opening homestand Tuesday when they entertain New Orleans, Game time is 6 p.m.
The Golden Eagles (3-0) won their ninth-straight season series opener, which includes eight sweeps over that time, and improved to 4-0 all-time over the Flames.
Mazza, who was celebrating his 21st birthday, limited Liberty (0-3) to four hits and two walks with a career-best six strikeouts as he only gave up RBI single by Gray Betts in the third. He retired eight in a row at one point to earn his first career Golden Eagle victory.
As for the Golden Eagle offense, they jumped out to an early lead with a solo run in the first.
Dustin Dickerson collected a one-out double, his first of two in the game, and moved up to third on a stolen base before Carson Paetow drove him on a groundout to short.
After Liberty tied the game in the third, Southern Miss took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the fifth.
Both Rodrigo Montenegro and Danny Lynch walked to start the fifth and each advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by Gabe Lacy. Montenegro then scored on a Liberty wild pitch, before Etzel's double that scooted just by first base down the line scored Lynch.
Another wild pitch in the sixth to allow Tate Parker increased the score to 4-1, Golden Eagles, before the home team exploded for three final runs in the eighth.
Parker led off the eighth with a solo homer to left center for his first shot as a Southern Miss player. Slade Wilks followed one pitch later with a double, before Blake Johnson reached on a fielding error by Liberty third baseman Cam Foster.
Lynch followed with a double of his own to plate Wilks and Johnson scored on a Etzel sacrifice fly to complete the scoring.
Liberty added their only other run on a solo home run by Camden Troyer to open the ninth off Justin Storm. The homer was the only extra-bat hit in the series for the Flames.
Golden Eagle relievers Billy Oldham got two outs of scoreless relief to end Mazza's last frame, before JB Middleton fanned four in two innings of work and Storm got the final three outs in the ninth.
The Golden Eagle pitching staff allowed just two earned runs over the first three games.
Liberty starter Mikey Tepper, a transfer from Mississippi State, gave up three runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts to suffer the loss and fall to 0-1.
The Golden Eagles continue their season-opening homestand Tuesday when they entertain New Orleans, Game time is 6 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Mazza, Niko (1-0)
L: TEPPER, Mikey (0-1)
Batting:
HR: TROYER, Camden 1
RBI: BETTS, Gray 1 ; TROYER, Camden 1
SH: LAZZARO, Jake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: TROYER, Camden 1 ; GUY, Jaylen 1
Batting:
2B: Etzel, Matthew 1 ; Dickerson, Dustin 2 ; Wilks, Slade 1 ; Lynch, Danny 1
HR: Parker, Tate 1
RBI: Etzel, Matthew 2 ; Paetow, Carson 1 ; Parker, Tate 1 ; Lynch, Danny 1
SH: Lacy, Gabe 1
SF: Etzel, Matthew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dickerson, Dustin 1 ; Parker, Tate 2 ; Wilks, Slade 1 ; Montenegro, Rodrigo 1 ; Johnson, Blake 1 ; Lynch, Danny 1
SB: Dickerson, Dustin 1 ; Paetow, Carson 1
CS: Etzel, Matthew 1
HBP: Parker, Tate 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF/P
/ BaseballOF
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C
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
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