NEWS RELEASE FROM SOUTHERN MISS
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Caleb McClanahan
threw a complete game and Ethan Harris collected a two-run double to lead No.
30 Central Arkansas to a 3-1 victory over Southern Miss here Friday night at
Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field.
McClanahan outdueled Southern Miss ace Andrew Pierce
as he held the Golden Eagles to a season-low four hits, while limiting the home
squad to one run to go along with four strikeouts and no walks in improving to
4-1 on the season.
Pierce limited the Bears (16-2) to a pair of runs on
four hits with two walks and eight strikeouts over seven innings to suffer his
first loss of the year and fall to 4-1.
The game remained scoreless for the first four
innings, but that did not keep the Bears from trying to get on the board in the
fourth. After Jonathan Davis delivered a one-out double, Scott Zimmerle singled
to left with two outs and Davis tried to score on the play but was thrown out
at the plate on a strong throw by Breck Kline to end the threat.
The Bears, though, started the fifth with a leadoff
single from Garrett Brown. A walk to Kraig Kelley followed and Justin Treece
then moved each runner up a base with a sacrifice. Harris put the Bears up for
good by taking a Pierce 0-2 pitch to right for a double to give UCA the 2-0
advantage.
Southern Miss (7-10) had tried to get things going for
themselves in the third. Freshman Nick Dawson, making his first collegiate
start, singled to second base. A wild throw by Blake Marchal allowed Dawson to
end up at second. USM, though, then had a strikeout, followed by a pop out and
ground out to end their chance of scoring.
UCA added to its lead in the eighth. With the bases
loaded, Davis hit a ground ball to centerfield. Harris, who started the frame
with a walk, scored, but Forrestt Allday was thrown out at third on the play
that resulted in a fielder's choice.
Golden Eagle sophomore Austin Roussel gave Southern
Miss its only run in the bottom of the inning on his first career home run to
right.
Southern Miss had a chance to tie the game in the
ninth. With two outs, Tim Lynch singled and then Blake Brown hit a McClanahan
pitch deep to left that Harris caught at the top of the wall to end the game.
Brown ended the night 0-for-4 and had a 10-game hitting streak snapped.
The series continues with a 1 p.m., single game on
Saturday and then concludes with a 1 p.m., tilt on Sunday.
