Southern Miss Bats Come Alive in 11-2 Win Over Memphis
HATTIESBURG, Miss. — After scoring 16 runs on Friday, the Southern Miss baseball team again surpassed the double-digit mark, plating 11 runs in an 11-2 win over visiting Memphis, Saturday, at Pete Taylor Park.

With the win, the Golden Eagles improved to 32-16 overall and 15-7 in league play, while also maintaining their second place standing in the C-USA. With a loss by Houston on Saturday night, Southern Miss could hold a share of the league lead. Memphis fell to 15-27 overall and 7-16 in conference play.

Golden Eagle starter Bob McCrory (5-2) earned his fifth win of the season, allowing just one run on six hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings on the mound. Griff Israel led Southern Miss at the plate with a game-high four hits, including his second home run of the series and three RBIs. Matt Shepherd followed with three hits and two RBIs.

"This was a good win for us today," Southern Miss Head Coach Corky Palmer said. "I thought Bob McCrory pitched well. He really did a good job and had a lot of strikeouts."

As they did in the series opener, the Golden Eagles wasted no time getting on the board. After Carlos Velasquez led off with a walk and stole second base, Shepherd reached on a bunt-single, advancing Velasquez to third. Cook followed with an RBI-single through the right side, plating Velasquez for the first run of the game. Shepherd later scored on Brad Willcutt's RBI-single to give the hosts the 2-0 lead.

Memphis answered, though, with a run of its own in the second inning. Barrett Smith drew a walk to lead off the inning and advanced to second on Jay Fik's groundout to first base. Josh Payne then singled to center field, scoring Smith to cut the deficit to one run.

Southern Miss needed only one pitch, however, to regain the two-run lead. Jarrett Hoffpauir led off with a first-pitch, solo home run to left field, sparking a three-run inning for the Golden Eagles. After the home run, Beau Griffin reached on a walk. Velasquez followed with a single to left field, and both runners advanced an extra base on a Memphis error. Shepherd singled Griffin home, and Cook plated Velasquez with a sacrifice fly to put Southern Miss ahead, 5-1.

The score remained until the bottom of the seventh inning, as the Golden Eagles broke the game open, scoring six runs on seven hits and one Memphis error. In the frame, Israel hit his second home run in as many games, a three-run shot that scored Cook and Willcutt in the process. Clint King, Hoffpauir and Velasquez also scored in the inning to give Southern Miss the 11-1 lead.

The Tigers tacked on their last run in the eighth, but it would be the closest they would get.

Along with Israel and Shepherd, Cook, Willcutt and Hoffpauir also had multiple hits, finishing with two hits apiece. Stephen Castleman threw the final two innings in relief, giving up one unearned run on three hits.

Brent Dlugach and Payne led Memphis with two hits each.

Michael Novarese (4-5) took the loss, giving up five runs on eight hits in 1.2 innings. Daniel de Armas threw 4.1 innings, giving up just one hit. Gabe Council, Josh Cartwright and Nick Rogers threw the final two innings, combining to allow six runs on six hits with three strikeouts.

The final game of the series is set for Sunday, with a 1 p.m., first pitch.