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COLLEGE BASEBALL
2012 Game No. 50
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Epic pitcher's duel goes to
USM, 1-0
From staff and electronic reports
View the Mobile Alpha version of this report.
East Carolina's Kevin Brandt and Southern
Mississippi's Andrew Pierce each authored a three-hit work of art Friday
night but only one got a payoff as the Golden Eagles used an unearned run to
prevail 1-0 in a Conference USA clash at Pete Taylor Park.
On an evening when the hurlers were in control from
start to finish, USM got the break it needed with one out in the 7th. A
throwing error by ECU senior third baseman Corey Thompson allowed Ashley
Graeter to reach safely on a grounder and dash ahead to scoring position at
second. One out later, Isaac Rodriguez singled up the middle and Graeter
barely beat sophomore centerfielder Ben Fultz's throw to the plate.
Both pitchers went the distance and kept base
runners to a minimum. Brandt, a senior lefthander, struck out six and walked
only one, while Pierce, a junior righthander, fanned 11, issued one base on
balls and dinged a batter.
The toe-to-toe battle of the masters of the mound
didn't go unappreciated by Southern Miss coach Scott Berry, who saw the
performance as a harbinger of future games in which runs would be hard to
come by.
"Andrew was lights out, and so was Brandt," Berry
said after the game. "That was a great college baseball game, and really,
you're going to see more games like tonight's contest that are dictated by
pitching and defense at this level from now on."
Sophomore shortstop Jack Reinheimer got two of East
Carolina's three singles and sophomore first baseman Chase McDonald had the
other one. No ECU runner got past second base.
Graeter, Rodriguez and Kameron Brunty each singled
for the Golden Eagles.
Rainy weather approaching the Hattiesburg area
prompted USM officials to advance the start time of Saturday's game between
the teams from 3 p.m. to 11 a.m. The battle will pit a pair of freshman
pitchers against each other in ECU righthander Jeff Hoffman and Golden
Eagles southpaw Jake Drehoff.
The finale in the three-game series is still slated
for a noon start on Sunday.
BOX SCORE #50
Southern Mississippi 1, East
Carolina 0
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ECU SID GAME STORY
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USM SID GAME STORY
Date: Friday, May 11, 2012
Venue: Pete Taylor Park, Hattiesburg, MS
Attendance: 3,151
Records: ECU 32-17-1 (13-8-1 Conference
USA);
USM 26-22 (10-9).
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