Tigers Shut Out By Southern Miss
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – A two-run second was all Southern Miss (22-17, 6-5 C-USA) needed as the Golden Eagles shutout Memphis (17-22, 6-8 C-USA) 2-0 on Saturday at Pete Taylor Park.
Southern Miss banged out three hits in the first inning, but the Golden Eagles couldn’t scratch across a run. A leadoff single by Dillon Day was erased on a double play, but two-straight singles to right-centerfield put runners on the corners with two outs. Ashley Graeter lined out to second to end the first and the Tigers escaped the trouble.
Jacob Wilson led off the second with a single to left field and a one-out single by Derrick Thomas put two one for the Tigers. Southern Miss starter Jake Drehoff worked out of the jam as a double play ended the frame to keep the Tigers off the board.
The Golden Eagles hit two singles in the second and a stolen base moved two runners into scoring position with one out. A wild pitch allowed one run to score and a two-out infield single cross the second run of the inning to give Southern Miss a 2-0 lead.
Memphis loaded the bases in the seventh and chased the starter Drehoff, but Southern Miss reliever James McMahon struck out the first two hitters he faced to end the frame. One-out singles by Eli Hynes and Thomas put two on and one out and a walk to Tucker Tubbs loaded the bases. McMahon was summoned from the bullpen and he struck out T.J. Rich and Keaton Aldridge to get the Golden Eagles out of the jam.
Memphis starter Sam Moll allowed two runs on 11 hits in 6.2 innings and reliever Jonathan Van Eaton struck out Graeter with runners on second and third to end the seventh. A walk and single put two on for the Golden Eagles in the seventh and Memphis was forced to go to the bullpen. A steal moved two runners to scoring position, but Van Eaton trotted in from the bullpen and struck out Graeter to end the inning.
Drehoff picked up the win as he allowed no runs on five hits in 6.1 innings. McMahon pitched 2.2 innings in relief and allowed no hits for his third save on the year. Thomas was the lone Tiger with two hits on the game as the Golden Eagles out-hit Memphis 11-5.
The Tigers will attempt to salvage a game in the series on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Pete Taylor Park.
