April 25, 2007

Final Stats

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Edward Easley finished with a walk, a double, two home runs and four RBIs to lead Mississippi State to a 7-4 win over Southern Miss, tonight, in the second midweek game, completing the two-game sweep, in front of 5,802 in attendance.

The home team has swept the series for the past two years. Southern Miss won both games in 2006 in Hattiesburg, winning 13-6 and 6-3. The last time that Mississippi State won both games in the series was in 2004, also in Hattiesburg, 18-9 and 9-7.

Ricky Bowen (3-1) earned the win for the Bulldogs in relief, pitching three innings, giving up one run on three hits and striking out four batters. Aaron Weatherford (2) earned his second save of the season, pitching the final two innings and striking out three batters.

Southern Miss starting pitcher Mike Cashion (2-1) was credited with his first loss of the season, pitching five innings, giving up seven runs on nine hits, walking two and striking out one batter. Tyler Conn and JR Ballinger each pitched an inning and gave up a hit and a walk. Patrick Ezell pitched the final inning.

Mississippi State (27-10) scored seven runs on 11 hits and committed one error, while Southern Miss (25-18) scored four runs on eight hits and committed one error. Each team turned two double plays. The Golden Eagles left seven runners on base, while the Bulldogs stranded only four runners.

Easley led the Bulldogs with three hits, including a double, a walk, two home runs, three runs scored and four RBIs. Connor Powers finished with two hits and Jet Butler finished with two hits and one RBI.

Trey Sutton, Jody Blount and Brian Dozier led the Golden Eagles with two hits each. Adkins hit a two-run homer and Michael and James Ewing each finished with an RBI.

Mississippi State struck in the first inning for the second-straight night, scoring a single run. Easley hit a two-out double to right center and then scored on Mitch Moreland's single through the left side.

The Golden Eagles took a 2-1 lead in the second inning. Michael Ewing reached on a leadoff walk and scored when Adkins hit a one-out home run to right field.

The Bulldogs scored a run in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 2-2. Mark GoForth reached on a fielder's choice grounder to short, stole second, advanced to third on Andy Rice's ground out to short and scored on Butler's infield single to short.

Southern Miss regained the lead with a run in the top of the third, 3-2. Dozier singled to left center, advanced to third on Sutton's single through the right side and scored when James Ewing reached on a fielding error by Jeffrey Rea.

Mississippi State struck for three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-3 lead. Turner reached on a one-out walk, before Easley blasted a two-run homer to left center field. McCaskill hit a solo homer to right field for the third run of the inning.

The Bulldogs extended their lead to 7-3 with two runs in the fifth inning. Turner led off the inning with a single through the right side and scored when Easley blasted his second home run of the game, a two-run shot over left field.

Southern Miss cut the MSU lead by one in the sixth inning, 7-4. Blount doubled to left center and scored on Michael Ewing's double to right center field.

The Golden Eagles travel to Greenville, N.C., to face East Carolina in a three-game Conference USA weekend series at Clark-LeClair Stadium. Friday's game starts at 6 p.m., Saturday's at 5 p.m., and Sunday's begins at 12 p.m.