March 2, 2007

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HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Senior outfielder Jody Blount finished with two hits, including a triple and drove in four runs to lead the Golden Eagles to a 7-4 win over Louisiana-Lafayette, tonight, at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field in front of 3,180 in attendance.

Ryan Belanger (3-0) earned his third-straight win of the season, pitching 6.2 innings, giving up four runs, three earned, on seven hits, walking two and striking out five. Tyler Conn pitched the next 1.1 innings, giving up one hit and striking out three. Patrick Ezell (4) earned his fourth save in his fourth-straight appearance, pitching the final inning and striking out one.

UL Lafayette starting pitcher Hunter Moody (1-1) pitched four innings, giving up seven runs, six earned, on eight hits, walking one and striking out three batters. Matt Pilgreen came on in relief in the fifth inning, pitching the final four innings, giving up one hit and striking out six.

Trey Sutton finished with two hits and an RBI, and Bailey Hartel hit a solo homer to left field to lead the Golden Eagles tonight. UL Lafayette was led by Nolan Gisclair and Scott Hawkins, both with two hits each.

The Golden Eagles (9-1) finished with seven runs on nine hits and committed two errors, while Louisiana-Lafayette (10-1) scored four runs on eight hits and committed three errors.

Southern Miss took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Brian Dozier reached on a fielding error by Moody, moved to second on Sutton's ground out to second, advanced to third on James Ewing's single through the right side and both he and Ewing scored on Blount's triple to left center.

The Ragin Cajuns scored three runs in the second inning to take a one-run lead, 3-2. Scott Hawkins led off the inning with a single through the left side, moved to second on Devery Van De Keere's walk, advanced to third when Kolin Hatfield's grounded out to short and scored on Justin Robichaux's single through the left side. Hatfield advanced to third and Robichaux both moved up a base on a wild pitch and both scored on Xavier Alexander's single up the middle.

Hartel hit a solo homer in the fourth inning to tie the game at 3-3. The Golden Eagles scored four more runs in the sixth inning to take a 7-3 lead. Trey Cuevas led off the inning with a single down the left field line, advanced to second when Eddie Burger was hit by a pitch and the bases were loaded when Dozier reached on a bunt single.

On Dozier's bunt attempt, Robichaux fielded the ball and threw it to Moody, who was covering the bag. The ball went off Moody's glove and down the right field line, allowing Cuevas to score and Burger to reach third. Sutton singled to left field to drive in Burger, before James Ewing walked to load the bases. Jody Blount hit a single through the left side to plate Dozier and Sutton for the third and fourth runs of the innings.

UL Lafayette added another run in the seventh inning to cut the Golden Eagle lead to three runs. Robichaux reached on a fielding error by James Ewing, moved to second when Alexander reached on a second fielding error by Ewing and scored on Gisclair's single to left field.

Conn came on in relief of Belanger in the seventh inning, gave up a single to Jeffries Tadford, then struck out Hawkins for the third out of the inning. He struck out pinch hitter William Long, Hatfield flew out to short and then Robichaux struck out to end the inning.

Ezell struck out pinch hitter pinch hitter Josh Logan, Alexander grounded out to second and Gisclair flew out to center to end the game.

Southern Miss and UL Lafayette play the second game of the weekend series on Saturday, March 4, at 1 p.m.