Epic pitcher's duel goes
to USM, 1-0
From electronic and staff reports
©2012 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
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.
PAGE UPDATED
05/12/12 05:45 AM.
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