MONROE, La.?No. 27 Southern
Miss scored two runs in the top of the 10th inning to sneak past ULM
4-2 in an instant classic at Warhawk Field Wednesday night.
Joey Archer led off the Southern
Miss half of the 10th inning with a double to left field and Travis
Graves followed with an infield single. Tyler Koelling drove in the winning run
on a groundout to short and Taylor Walker followed with a single to center to push to
score to 4-2.
The Warhawks (6-2) loaded the
bases with nobody out in the bottom of the tenth inning, but a strikeout and a
double play ended the threat and ended ULM's six-game win streak.
The game featured numerous
great defensive plays with both shortstops, Ben Soignier (ULM) and Brian Dozier
(USM), leading the way ? both teams turned three double plays on the night.
Jordy Poche continued to swing
a hot bat putting the Warhawks up 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning with a
solo home run to left field. Poche finished the game 2-for-3 and now has 11
hits in the last four games. Soignier finished 3-for-5, while Matt Collins and Matt
Laird were each 2-for-5.
Southern Miss (8-1) took a 2-1
lead in the top of the fifth inning. Following a walk to Archer, Graves doubled
down the left-field line allowing Archer to score from first. One out later, Walker
singled to left and the throw from Jon Prevost appeared to beat Graves to the
plate, but he was called safe on the play.
The Warhawks tied the game in
the bottom of the fifth inning as Soignier tripled to right-center and Collins followed with a double down the right-field line. Ryan McMillan
appeared to give ULM a lead, by Dozier robbed the ULM catcher with an
outstanding play to take away a base hit back up the middle.
Justin Anderson started on the
mound for the Warhawks and allowed just two runs on five hits over 4.1 innings
of work. Drew Graham was the first out of the ULM bullpen and was brilliant. The
senior flame thrower allowed just two hits over 4.2 innings striking out three
and not walking any batters.
Derek Ward (0-2) suffered the
loss for the Warhawks allowing both runs in the 10th inning on four
hits ? two of which didn't leave the infield. Collin Cargill (1-0) picked the
win for Southern Miss throwing the final 2.2 innings allowing just a pair of
hits and striking out four.
ULM had a prime scoring chance
in the bottom of the seventh inning, but with runners on first and second
Boomer Blanchard lined out to center field and Prevost was thrown out at second
base trying to tag up.
The bottom of the eight
presented the Warhawks with another golden opportunity to score as Poche led
off the inning drawing a walk and Soignier singled to center. However, Cargill
came out of the bullpen to retire the next three ULM batters to get Southern
Miss out of the inning.
The Warhawks open Sun Belt
Conference play this weekend at preseason favorite Western Kentucky (5-2). The
series features the defending Sun Belt regular season champions (ULM) and the
defending Sun Belt Tournament champions (WKU).
