Feb. 23, 2008

Box Score: Lipscomb at Southern Miss

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Southern Miss hitters started cold but rallied to overcome a early 3-0 deficit to win 6-3 Saturday evening in front of 3,322 fans at Pete Taylor Park.

"The big thing tonight was that Todd McInnis came into a jam and kept us into the game early," head coach Corky Palmer said. "That could have been a big inning (in the fifth) for Lipscomb but we were able to hold them at three runs and make our come back."

Lipscomb (0-2) was able to get on the board first with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Blake Bratcher drew a walk and moved to second on Ryan Wilkins excuse-me, check-swing single to right field. Justin Sanders picked up the RBI with a single to right field scoring Bratcher. Jay Moreland followed with a ground ball to first baseman Trey Sutton who threw out Wilkins at the plate for the second out of the inning and prevent further damage.

The Bison were able to add two more runs off Southern Miss starter David Clark in the top of the fifth. Jorge Guiterrez was hit by a pitch and stole second before coming in to score on Caleb Joseph's RBI single to left field. Blake Bratcher doubled in Bolden and ended the day on the mound for Clark.

"Clark got a little tired in the fifth, but early in the year the starting pitchers tend to get tired sooner and if you can get five innings out of your starter that's about all you can expect this early in the season," Palmer said. "We will have to depend on the short and middle relief, that will be a key for us at this point in the season."

Freshman Todd McInnis came to relive Clark and stuck out two batters leaving the bases loaded and preventing further damage in the fifth inning.

The Southern Miss (2-0) bats finally broke through with their first hit of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning as Michael Ewing took the first pitch and lined it into right field for a single. Two batters later freshman Anthony Doss added his first collegiate hit with a flare into center field. Third baseman Chris Matesich followed with a single load the bases for leadoff hitter Bo Davis who picked up his first RBI of the season on a walk to chase Lipscomb starting pitcher Josh Smith from the game.

New pitcher Kyle Tognazzini was called for a balk with the bases still loaded forcing in Doss then allowed a four-pitch walk to Brian Dozier to re-load the bases and he was immediately pulled from the game for the third pitcher of the inning, Brian McClurg.

McClurg was greeted by Southern Miss first baseman Trey Sutton who singled to left-center field scoring Matesich and Davis, putting the Golden Eagles on top for the first time in the game 4-3. The single by Sutton also extended his hitting streak to 23 games, dating back to the 2007 season.

Southern Miss added to their lead in the bottom of the seventh inning as Doss collected his second single of the game then Bo Davis drew a walk and both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Brian Dozier continued to stay hot with a single to right field scoring Doss and Davis and putting Southern Miss ahead 6-3.

Todd McInnis (1-0) threw two-and-two-thirds innings allowing only one hit, walking three and striking out four picking up the win in his first outing of the season.

Lipscomb loaded the bases in the top of the eighth but reliever J.R. Ballinger forced centerfielder Allen Bolden into a hitting a ground up the middle that second baseman James Ewing corralled with a full-extension dive and flipped with the ball with his glove to shortstop Brian Dozier to start the four-six-three double-play and end the Bison threat.

"That was a real big double play for us late in the game and kept the momentum in our favor so we could push through and win," Palmer added.

After surrendering a leadoff double in the ninth Ballinger was lifted for Golden Eagle closer Tyler Conn. He allowed a single then struck out the next three hitters to end the game and pick up his second save in as many days.

"Tomorrow is a big game for us, we have to come out and do a little bit more offensively," Palmer said.

The three-game series with Lipscomb will conclude Sunday afternoon at Pete Taylor Park, with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m.