March 21, 2007

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The No. 28 Southern Miss baseball team opens Conference USA action this weekend hosting No. 7 Rice on Friday-Sunday, March 23-25, at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field (3,678) for a three-game weekend series. Friday's game starts at 6:30 p.m., Saturday's begins at 3 p.m., and Sunday's starts at 1 p.m.

All Southern Miss games will be carried on the radio, locally on WXHB-96.5 FM and on-line at www.SouthernMiss.com. Veteran broadcasters John Cox and Lance Pittman will broadcast the games for the entire weekend. Fans can also follow each game via GameTracker on-line at www.SouthernMiss.com.

This weekend's games mark the fifth, sixth and seventh meetings between the Golden Eagles and the Owls, with Rice owning a 4-0 series lead. The Owls won all four meetings last year, winning 12-3, 5-1 and 5-3 during the regular-season meetings and 5-1 during the conference tournament.

Southern Miss (16-6) enters the weekend series on a four-game winning streak. The Golden Eagles swept the three-game weekend series from Kent State last weekend, 5-2, 2-1 (12 innings) and 7-4, before downing Louisiana-Monroe, 9-5, in Pearl, Miss., on Tuesday.

Rice (17-8) enters the weekend series, having won six of its past seven games and 14 of its last 18 games. The Owls swept a three-game weekend series from Cal Poly last weekend, winning 9-8, 7-2 and 6-5, before dropping a thrilling 10-9 11-inning contest to nationally-ranked Texas A&M on Tuesday night.

Southern Miss is hitting .280 with 34 doubles, two triples and seven home runs. They are averaging 5.6 runs per game and 9.5 hits per game. The pitching staff has a 3.29 ERA in 197 innings pitched, struck out 166 batters, walked 65 and holding opponents to .229 batting average.

Rice is hitting .287 with 54 doubles, seven triples and 19 home runs. They are averaging 6.2 runs per game and 9.8 hits per contest. The pitching staff has a 2.83 ERA in 225.2 innings pitched, struck out 209 batters, walked 86 and opponents are hitting .232 against them.

Junior first baseman Trey Sutton leads the Golden Eagles offensively, hitting .385 with eight doubles, one triple, a home run, a team-leading 19 RBIs, four stolen bases, 26 runs scored and 13 walks. Sophomore shortstop Brian Dozier is hitting .315 with six doubles and nine RBIs, sophomore third baseman James Ewing is hitting .311 with three doubles, one home run, eight walks and 10 RBIs, while brother Michael Ewing is hitting .299 with three doubles, one home run, a team-leading 14 walks and has 16 RBis.

Junior first baseman Joe Savery leads the Owls, hitting .333 with eight doubles, one triple, one home run and 14 RBIs. Junior outfielder Tyler Henley is hitting .314 with three doubles, one triple, two RBIs and 14 RBIs. Sophomore shortstop Brian Friday is hitting .310 with a team-leading 11 doubles, one home run and 11 RBIs. Sophomore outfielder Aaron Luna leads the team in home runs with five, has seven doubles and is tied for with a team-leading 23 RBIs.

In Friday's game, Southern Miss will send senior right-hander Ryan Belanger to face Rice probable starter freshman right-hander Ryan Berry.

Belanger is 4-1 with a 1.49 ERA in 36.1 innings, giving up nine runs, six earned, on 27 hits, striking out 33, walking six and holding opponents to .201 batting average. In his last outing against Kent State last Friday, he won his fourth game of the season, pitching 8.0 innings, giving up two runs, one earned, on eight hits, walking two and striking out eight batters.

Berry is 3-0 with a 2.72 ERA in 39.2 innings pitched, giving up 15 runs, 12 earned, on 36 hits, walking 13, striking out 41 and opponents are hitting .250 against him. In his last start against Cal Poly last Friday, he pitched 6.0 innings, giving up one run, on five hits, walking three and striking out five and was credited with a no-decision.

On Saturday, Southern Miss will pitch redshirt-junior right-hander Barry Bowden against Rice probable starter sophomore right-hander Matt Langwell.

Bowden is 1-2 with a 5.33 ERA in 25.1 innings pitched, giving up 16 runs, 15 earned, on 29 hits, walking six, striking out 27 and opponents are hitting .296 against him. In his last outing against Kent State last Saturday, he pitched 5.2 innings, giving up one run on six hits, walking two and striking out seven batters and was credited with a no-decision.

Langwell is 2-1 with a 2.30 ERA in 27.1 innings pitched. He has given up 10 runs, seven earned on 18 hits, walked eight, struck out 18 and opponents are hitting .186 against him. In his last outing against Cal Poly on Saturday, he pitched 7.0 innings, giving up two runs on four hits, walking two and striking out two batters to earn his second win of the year.

In the series finale on Sunday, Southern Miss will send redshirt-junior David Clark to face Owl junior left-hander Joe Savery.

Clark is 3-1 with a 3.77 ERA in 31.0 innings pitched. He has giving up 13 runs on 21 hits, walked 16, struck out 25 and opponents are hitting .196 against him. In his last outing against Kent State on Sunday, he pitched 6.2 innings, giving up four runs on five hits, walking six and striking out seven to earn his third win of the season.

Savery is 3-1 with a 2.15 ERA in 29.1 innings pitched this season. He has given up seven runs on 22 hits, walked 12, struck out 23 and opponents are hitting .218 against him. In his last outing last Sunday, he pitched 7.0 innings, giving up one run on three hits, walking one and striking out six batters and earned a no-decision.

After this weekend's series against Rice, the Golden Eagles travel to Pearl, Miss., to face nationally-ranked Ole Miss at Trustmark Park on Tuesday, March 27, at 6:30 p.m. Southern Miss then travels for a three-game conference series at Memphis, on Friday-Sunday, March 30-April 1 at Nat Buring Stadium. Friday's game starts at 6:30 p.m., Saturday's at 2 p.m., and Sunday's at 1 p.m.