April 29, 2006

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Southern Miss' Toddric Johnson finished with four hits, including a double and two home runs and drove in five runs to lead the Golden Eagles to a 19-4 seven-inning victory over Marshall, tonight, at Appalachian Power Park in front of 227 in attendance.

The game ended at the end of the seventh inning due to the conference's 15-run rule on Saturdays.

Scott Massey (6-3) pitched a complete-game seven-inning victory, giving up four runs on six hits, walking two and striking out four. Marshall starter Brian Chrisman (2-5) took the loss for the Thundering Herd, pitching 4.1 innings, giving up eight runs on eight hits, walking one and striking out one.

Southern Miss (30-16, 6-8 Conference USA) finished with 19 runs on 18 hits, while Marshall (19-20, 6-11 C-USA) scored four runs on six hits and committed four errors.

Michael Ewing finished with two hits, including a three-run homer and drove in five runs for Southern Miss. Maddox finished with two hits and three RBIs, Jody Blount finished with three hits and one RBI and Drew Carson and Bo Davis each finished with two hits.

Marshall's Brendan Murphy and Brit Vincent each finished with two hits and Aaron Levinson collected three RBIs.

Toddric Johnson gave the Golden Eagles a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a two-run blast over right center, his eighth of the season.

Marshall tied the game in the second inning on a two-run single to right by Aaron Levinson.

Southern Miss regained the lead in the third inning, scoring two runs on a two-run double by Johnson to give the Golden Eagles a 4-2 lead.

The Golden Eagles increased their lead to 5-2 in the fourth inning when Drew Carson led off the inning with a double to left field, moved to third on Brian Dozier's ground out to second and scored on a Chrisman wild pitch.

The Thundering Herd cut the Golden Eagle lead by one in the fourth inning, when Brit Vincent hit a two-out triple down the right field line and scored on a wild pitch from Massey.

Southern Miss exploded for three runs in the fifth inning and seven more in the sixth inning to give the Golden Eagles a 15-3 lead. A solo homer by Johnson, his second of the game and ninth of the season, and a two-run single to right by pinch hitter Michael Ewing scored three runs in the fifth inning.

In the fifth inning, Coker was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring home Sutton, who was walked. Jody Blount singled to left to drive in Maddox, and Carson walked with the bases loaded to score Johnson. Blount and Carson scored on a fielder's choice by Ewing and Maddox singled up the middle to drive in two more runs.

The Golden Eagles scored four more runs in the seventh inning to extend their lead to 19-3. Blount reached on a one-out triple to right center and Carson reached on a fielding error by third baseman Matt Helm. Ewing blasted a three-run homer to right center to drive in Blount and Carson. Bo Davis reached on a second error by Helm, Dozier reached on the third error of the inning by Helm and Maddox reached on a fielder's choice to short to score Davis.

A sacrifice fly by Levinson to right field drove in Vincent who reached when he was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and then left fielder Chris Peak doubled to right field.

Southern Miss and Marshall play the final game of the three-game Conference USA weekend series on Sunday at 1 p.m.