Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Southern Miss
@HerdBaseball Drops Rubber Game at #25 Southern Miss
3/26/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Marshall baseball dropped the rubber game of its series at No. 25 Southern Miss, 13-3, in a mercy-rule shortened game on Sunday afternoon at Pete Taylor Park.
The ballgame was ended in the bottom of the eighth after a four-run inning by the Golden Eagles. All nine inning games played on Sunday in Conference USA use a 10-run rule.
The Thundering Herd falls to 11-10 overall and 3-3 in Conference USA play. Southern Miss improves to 19-5 (5-1 C-USA).
Southern Miss started off the game with back-to-back home runs from its first baseman Dylan Burdeaux and designated hitter Daniel Keating in the bottom of the first. The Golden Eagles picked up their third run of the inning on a passed ball.
Marshall responded in the top of the second inning. Cory Garrastazu worked himself a two-out walk to give the Herd its first base runner of the game. Shane Hanon extended his hitting streak to five games with a two-run homer to left field. It was Hanon's first home run of the season.
The Golden Eagles took control of the contest in the third and fourth innings by scoring five runs. Southern Miss scored one run in the third inning off a walk with the bases loaded. In the fourth, right fielder Mason Irby doubled down the left field line with the bases loaded, and scored all three base runners. Catcher Cole Donaldson followed with a single through the right side to score Irby.
The Thundering Herd got a run back top half of the fifth. Hanon led off the inning with a solo homer to left field. It was his second home run of the game. Hanon has been stellar for the Herd in league play this season. He is batting .455 (10-for-22) with seven RBIs in C-USA action.
Southern Miss added another run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Irby singled to left center with one out. He went on to steal second during the next at-bat. He came around to score on a Storme Cooper high-chopping single through the infield that went to left field.
USM finished the game in the bottom of the eighth by scoring four runs off five hits to give itself the mercy rule win.
Marshall was led at the plate by Hanon. The Gig Harbor, Wash., native was 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBIs. Sam Finfer, Billy Sager and Leo Valenti each had a hit.
Starting pitcher Patrick Murphy (1-1) suffered his first loss of the season. Murphy tossed 2.2 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits. Jacob Bradley, Michael Gizzi, Hunter Sexton, Jacob Niggemeyer, Matt Reed and Will Ray made relief appearances. Reed led the Herd with three strikeouts.
Marshall hosts Eastern Kentucky University on Tuesday at the Kennedy Center Field on Route 2 in Huntington, W.Va. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
