April 7, 2010

Box Score in PDF Format

Box Score

METAIRIE, La - Southern Miss gave the defending national champions LSU Tigers all they could handle in a 6-5, 12 inning loss in front of 9370 fans at Zephyr Field in New Orleans on Wednesday.

Taylor Walker hit a solo home run in the top of the 12, but the Tigers answered for two runs in the bottom of the frame to take the annual Wally Pontiff Classic.

"We are inching closer to being a good team," head coach Scott Berry said. "But good teams find a way to win that game and we are not quite there yet."

Southern Miss used 10 different pitchers in the game, with only Dillon Day, Paxton King, Collin Cargill Josh Jones working over an inning. Combined, the Golden Eagle pitching staff allowed LSU to score six runs and tally 14 hits in the game.

"We wanted to try and offset their hitters by using a lot of different arms and slow the tempo of the game down, using that many pitchers is something we may try and do again in the future," Berry added.

"I liked what I saw and it kept them off balance a little and until our young guys can learn how to go out and control some damage for two of three innings we will get them some experience that away."

Jones was credited for loss, worked a career long 2.1 innings, allowing two hits and two runs. Though the Golden Eagles showed a new wrinkle as shortstop B.A. Vollmuth was the final pitcher used, striking out one and surrendering the walk off single to pinch hitter Wet Delatte.

Walker led the offensive attack with two hits, two runs scored and a RBI while Anthony Doss and Tyler Koelling each had two hits a piece as well.

Southern Miss opened the scoring in the top of the first on a RBI single by B.A. Vollmuth and a RBI fielders choice by Adam Doleac. Doleac's fielder's choice could have easily been an inning ending double play, but LSU second baseman Tyler Hanover misplayed the routine ground ball to allow Taylor Walker to score from third.

The Golden Eagles added to their lead in the top of the fourth as Anthony Doss, Travis Graves and Tyler Koelling hit three consecutive two-out singles, with Koelling platting Doss to make the score 3-0.

LSU answered in the bottom of the fourth as Micah Gibbs hit a three-run home run off Matt Warren to tie the game at three.

Gibbs put LSU on top for the first time in the game with a RBI single in the bottom of the fifth off reliever Dillon Day.

Southern Miss answered right back in the top of the sixth to tie the game at four as Mark Ellis singled, stole second and came in to score on a sacrifice fly by Travis Graves.

The next five innings were scoreless until Walker hit his two-out solo home run in the top of the 12th and LSU answered with their two runs.

Southern Miss returns to action this weekend as they host Central Florida for a three game C-USA series. First pitch Friday is set for 6:30 p.m. at "The Pete."

-southermiss.com-