Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Southern Miss
Southern Miss Outlasts Baseball, 4-2
4/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 3, 2009
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Senior second baseman Adam Yeager finished 2-for-3 with a double, and sophomore reliever Arik Sikula dealt five strikeouts in relief, but a three-run homer by Joey Archer lifted Southern Mississippi to a 4-2 victory over the Thundering Herd in Friday night's Conference USA baseball game at Hill Denson Field at Pete Taylor Park.
With the loss, Marshall slides to 12-16 overall 3-4 in league action, while Southern Miss improves to 19-9 on the season, 5-2 in the conference.
Trailing 4-2 in the top of the ninth, junior third baseman Josh Valle drilled a two-out infield single to give the Herd a runner on base. Ramone Tate entered to pinch run but was narrowly thrown out at third on an infield single by red-shirt freshman Rhett Stafford, sealing the game for Southern Miss.
Golden Eagles starter JD Ballinger moved to 3-0 on the season, while Marshall starter Ryan Kiel suffered the loss and falls to 2-2. Ballinger tossed eight strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work on the hill.
Southern Miss struck first in the bottom of the first when Taylor Walker led the frame off with a single to left field, moved to second on a one-out groundout before coming full circle on an RBI single to centerfield by James Ewing to give the Golden Eagles a 1-0 lead.
The Golden Eagles added to its lead in the bottom of the third when Archer drilled his fifth home run of the season to left field, a three-run shot that made the score 4-0.
Southern Miss attempted to extend its lead in the top of bottom of the fourth when a two-out walk, followed by a hit batter chased Kiel from the game in favor of Sikula. A passed ball moved the runners up 90 feet, but Sikula fired a strikeout to keep the runners from scoring.
Marshall found its bats in the top of the sixth, after being held to three hits through the first five innings, the Herd pounded out three in the sixth frame when Yeager smacked a one-out double to left field to start the rally. Sophomore right fielder Ben Jurevicius followed suit with a single into left, sending Yeager home with Marshall's first run of the contest. Jurevicius then stole second before Ballinger tossed a strikeout to give Southern Miss two outs. From there, Ballinger was lifted from the game in favor of southpaw Cody Schlagel who gave up an RBI single to center off the bat of freshman designated hitter Thor Meeks, bringing the score to 4-2. The inning ended on a groundout to the left side of the infield.
Marshall fended off the Southern Miss attack in the bottom of the seventh as Valle made a pair of beautiful defensive plays that helped the Herd complete a 1-2-3 inning with the score still set at 4-2.
The Herd threatened again in the top of the eighth when Yeager drew a one-out walk which sent Sclagel from the game in favor of Collin Cargill. Yeager advanced to second on a wild pitch but a pair of fly outs stranded the runner and ended the inning without any damage.
Southern Miss loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth after a pair of singles and a walk, but Sikula induced an inning-ending pop out to keep the Golden Eagles from adding to its advantage.
Valle and Stafford each finished with two hits while Jurevicius and Meeks added an RBI each in the losing effort.
Sikula was tremendous on the mound, scattering four hits and a walk, while striking out five batters in 4.1 innings of relief.
Marshall and Southern Miss will continue conference action Saturday, with first-pitch slated for 4:00 p.m. ET. The Herd will send junior right hander Dan Straily to the hill.
