by Hunter Dawkins, Owner/Publisher – editor@thegazebogazette.com or hdawkins@supertalk.fm
BILOXI (GG) — Despite wanting revenge from an earlier 3-2 loss to Nicholls, #12 Southern Miss baseball wanted to break a 2-game losing streak against the Colonels. The Golden Eagles (17-4) used eight pitchers to only allow 4 hits and shutout Nicholls (11-12) at Keesler Federal Park in Biloxi Tuesday, March 17 for the annual Hancock Whitney Classic.
Even though USM picked up two hits in the first three innings, it wasn’t until the bottom of the fourth when Ben Higdon drove in the first run (Matthew Russo) on a sacrifice fly to start the scoring. The Golden Eagles scored 3 runs in the next two innings where Kyle Morrison recorded an RBI two-base hit in the fifth, before Seth Smith knocked in a run on a fielder’s choice in the sixth and Gray Eubanks completed the scoring in the frame with a sacrifice fly.
Dylan Causey started on the mound for Southern Miss and worked around two hits in his inning stint. He was then relieved by Bruce Littleton, Camden Sunstrom, Teague Broadhead, JW Armistead, Colby Allen, Josh Och and Camden Clark as the Colonels registered just five base runners after the first inning.
Littleton walked a pair of hitters in the second and was relieved by Sunstrom who retired all eight batters he faced, which included three strikeouts, to earn the victory and improve to 2-1.
Nicholls starter Dawson Richard (2-1) went five innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts to suffer the loss. However, the Colonels relief pitcher and Pass Christian Native/Southern Miss transfer Peyton Lacy came in the seventh to stop the bleeding and got Nicholls out of a jam. Lacy pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowing 0 runs and finishing with one strikeout.
Southern Miss returns to action Friday as they host Troy in the first of a three-game Sun Belt Conference series at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field in Hattiesburg. Game time for the opener is 6 p.m.
