TicketsBearcats Fall Short Again At USM
UC now 0-6 in C-USA
Contact: Shawn Sell
3/27/2005
Jack Nelson had three hits Sunday vs. Southern Miss. |
HATTIESBURG, Miss.?For the second time in three days, Cincinnati rallied, but the Bearcats once again came up short, dropping an 8-6 decision to Southern Miss on Sunday afternoon at Pete Taylor Park. The victory for the Golden Eagles finishes off a sweep of the Bearcats for USM.
Cincinnati pounded out 14 hits on the day, but once again fell victim to a big, early inning that ultimately spelled doom. Four Southern Miss second inning runs, one more in the fourth and two more in the fifth put Cincinnati in a 7-1 hole they couldn?t climb out of. The Golden Eagles improve to 18-5 overall and 4-2 in Conference USA, while the Bearcats slip to 9-12, 0-6.
Jack Nelson led the Bearcat attack with three hits, while Mark Haske, Brian Beltz and Mark Muscenti each added two. Brian Szarmach drove in three runs, courtesy of his fourth home run of the season.
Southern Miss finished the day with nine hits, including two each by Marc Maddox, Kevin Coker and Chris Matesich. Brad Wilcutt hit his fifth homer of the year and second of the weekend for the Golden Eagles.
Patrick Ezell was the winning pitcher for Southern Miss, improving to 3-1 with five innings of work. The preseason C-USA Pitcher of the Year allowed four runs on nine hits in the outing, with two strikeouts and no walks. Kevin Schrader (1-2) took the loss for UC, while Daniel Best recorded his seventh save for the home team.
Southern Miss started its four-run second inning with an RBI single by Coker and scored its second on a fielder?s choice. Maddox made it a 3-0 game with an RBI single and a double steal provided the fourth run of the inning for the Eagles.
The Eagles scored a single run on a bizarre play in the fourth that featured a pair of Bearcat errors. Matesich laid down a bunt single and advanced to second when Schrader?s throw was wild. Logan Parker picked up the stray ball and his throw was also errant allowing Matesich to come all the way around to score. Two more Southern Miss runs came home in the fifth on Wilcutt?s homer off of David Theobald.
Cincinnati finally scratched the scoreboard in its top of the fifth getting an RBI double by Haske. A total of 10 UC hitters came to the plate in the five-run sixth inning that drew the Bearcats within 7-6. Szarmach provided the big hit of the frame with a three-run homer to left just prior to RBI singles by Muscenti and Haske.
Southern Miss threatened in the seventh against Kyle Markle, but the Bearcats were saved by a brilliant defensive play by 3B Jon DeLuca. With runners on second and third and one out, UC drew its infield in with Jason Lowery at the plate. Lowery bounced a chopper to DeLuca who quickly tagged out third base runner Maddox, before throwing to first for the double play.
The Golden Eagles tagged on one final insurance run in the eighth on pinch-hitter Jacob Fowler?s sacrifice fly.
UC will try to get back on track when it returns home to open a six-game homestand on Wednesday. The Bearcats will host Ohio that day in a 4 p.m. first pitch. Cincinnati is next in C-USA action at home vs. Houston next weekend.