University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Thursday, May 18
Pete Taylor Park
6 p.m.
Southern Miss
4
vs
0
Louisiana
Etzel Grand Slam, Hall Eight Strong Innings Lead Baseball over UL 4-0
5/18/2023 9:23:00 PM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Matthew Etzel provided the offense and Tanner Hall threw eight scoreless innings as nationally ranked Southern Miss shut out Louisiana 4-0 in a Sun Belt Conference series opener Thursday night at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field.
The Golden Eagles (36-15 overall, 18-7 Sun Belt) extended their nation's longest winning streak to 14 games and took a half game lead in the league standings by virtue of Coastal Carolina-Marshall getting rained out in Conway, S.C.
Game two of the series will take place Friday at 6 p.m., as it will be Scott Berry Night. Berry, who announced his intention of retiring from coaching at the end of his 14th season with the program earlier this week, will be recognized along with his family on the field prior to the game. Fans are encouraged to get to their seats early for the contest as the ceremony will take place at approximately 5:40 p.m.
The Golden Eagles, who had been averaging 9.6 runs a contest over the first 13 games of this current streak, managed to score in just one inning against the Cajuns (35-19, 17-11).
Reece Ewing opened the fifth with a single up the middle. After an infield hit by Nick Monistere and a fielder's choice by Carson Paetow for the first out of the frame, Rodrigo Montenegro then walked to load the bases.
Etzel, who also doubled in his first at bat of the contest, hammered the first ball he saw from UL starter Jackson Hezuh over the right field wall for the only runs the Golden Eagles needed. It was Etzel's sixth homer of the year and first grand slam.
That was all Hall needed as he mowed down the Cajun hitters all evening, which included 12 strikeouts and just one walk.
Hall had nine strikeouts over the first four innings – which included fanning the side in the fourth. After giving up a leadoff double to start the second, Hall retired 16 batters in a row, before giving up a walk in the seventh. He also allowed back-to-back singles in the eighth with one out but got a ground out and his final strikeout on his career-high 114th pitch to end his outing.
Hall, who improved to 11-3 with the victory, then finished his night's activities by taking a curtain call after that final out in the eighth by the Golden Eagle faithful. His season win total ranks tied for second on the school career charts, while moving into sixth place in career strikeouts with 278, leaping over Walker Powell (275), Nick Sandlin (268), Frankie McLendon (267) and Ray Guy (266).
Justin Storm finished the game by retiring all three batters he faced on 11 pitches, giving the Ragin' Cajuns their first shutout of the season and the first since losing to the Golden Eagles 5-0 last season in Lafayette.
Nezuh (8-5) allowed four runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings to suffer the loss.
Christopher Sargent extended his current team-best hitting streak to 16 games with a fourth-inning double.
Â
The Golden Eagles (36-15 overall, 18-7 Sun Belt) extended their nation's longest winning streak to 14 games and took a half game lead in the league standings by virtue of Coastal Carolina-Marshall getting rained out in Conway, S.C.
Game two of the series will take place Friday at 6 p.m., as it will be Scott Berry Night. Berry, who announced his intention of retiring from coaching at the end of his 14th season with the program earlier this week, will be recognized along with his family on the field prior to the game. Fans are encouraged to get to their seats early for the contest as the ceremony will take place at approximately 5:40 p.m.
The Golden Eagles, who had been averaging 9.6 runs a contest over the first 13 games of this current streak, managed to score in just one inning against the Cajuns (35-19, 17-11).
Reece Ewing opened the fifth with a single up the middle. After an infield hit by Nick Monistere and a fielder's choice by Carson Paetow for the first out of the frame, Rodrigo Montenegro then walked to load the bases.
Etzel, who also doubled in his first at bat of the contest, hammered the first ball he saw from UL starter Jackson Hezuh over the right field wall for the only runs the Golden Eagles needed. It was Etzel's sixth homer of the year and first grand slam.
That was all Hall needed as he mowed down the Cajun hitters all evening, which included 12 strikeouts and just one walk.
Hall had nine strikeouts over the first four innings – which included fanning the side in the fourth. After giving up a leadoff double to start the second, Hall retired 16 batters in a row, before giving up a walk in the seventh. He also allowed back-to-back singles in the eighth with one out but got a ground out and his final strikeout on his career-high 114th pitch to end his outing.
Hall, who improved to 11-3 with the victory, then finished his night's activities by taking a curtain call after that final out in the eighth by the Golden Eagle faithful. His season win total ranks tied for second on the school career charts, while moving into sixth place in career strikeouts with 278, leaping over Walker Powell (275), Nick Sandlin (268), Frankie McLendon (267) and Ray Guy (266).
Justin Storm finished the game by retiring all three batters he faced on 11 pitches, giving the Ragin' Cajuns their first shutout of the season and the first since losing to the Golden Eagles 5-0 last season in Lafayette.
Nezuh (8-5) allowed four runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings to suffer the loss.
Christopher Sargent extended his current team-best hitting streak to 16 games with a fourth-inning double.
Â
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
IF/P
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
UTIL
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballTrue Grit: Final Episode
Friday, October 20
Episode 1: War Damn Golden Eagle
Tuesday, August 22
Episode 5: Battle for the Belt
Thursday, August 17
Episode 4: Battle for the Belt
Saturday, August 12