USM Strikes Early, Splits Series With 6-1 Win At State
April 27, 2005 | Baseball
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Southern Miss struck for four runs in the first two innings and made them stand up Wednesday night in a 6-1 win over No. 26 Mississippi State at Dudy Noble Field. The win gave the Golden Eagles (29-12) a split of the midweek series with the Bulldogs (28-12), who claimed a 5-4 win Tuesday night.
Freshman righthander Barry Bowden (3-3) held the Bulldogs scoreless and allowed three hits through six innings. Bowden matched his season-best with a seven inning stint, scattering five hits with five walks and five strikeouts.
The Golden Eagles plated three unearned runs in the first inning. Bulldog starter Brooks Dunn walked lead-off batter Trey Sutton, retired the next two batters and gave up a two-out single to Brad Willcutt. A run scored when Beau Griffin's grounder was misplayed at first base, and two more raced home on Jason Lowery's double over the head of Brad Corley in right.
A career-first home run over the left field fence by Trey Quevas expanded the USM lead to 4-0 in the second, and the Golden Eagles added an unearned run on a throwing error for a 5-0 lead in the fourth. All five of the runs, all but one unearned, were charged to Dunn (4-2), who allowed six hits and struck out three in four innings.
State stranded base-runners in scoring position in four innings and left the bases loaded in the fifth. The Bulldogs broke up the shutout in the seventh. Bunky Kateon opened the inning with a double to left and scored on Thomas Berkery's two-out single to right.
Tyler Perrett pitched two innings of no-hit scoreless relief to close the game for USM.
USM scored the game's final run in the ninth when David Steele opened the frame with a single, advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on Kevin Coker's single to right. Coker led all hitters with two hits while Jason Lowery drove in two runs.
Jamie Gant worked two innings in relief of Dunn, while Justin Pigott, Jesse Carver and Saunders Ramsey finished the game for State.
The Bulldogs return to action Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Oxford, Miss., opening a three-game SEC Western Division series against the University of Mississippi at Swayze Field.
SOUTHERN MISS 6, MSU 1
USM 310 100 001 - 6-8-1MSU 000 000 100 - 1-5-2WP -- Barry Bowden (3-3). LP -- Brooks Dunn (4-2) . HR -- Trey Cuevas (1). T -- 2:32. ATT -- 2,315 (6,471 paid)
