USM strikes out 15 times in 4-1 loss to Ole Miss

Southern Miss Sports Information

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - Kevin Graham and Kemp Alderman each homered in the fourth inning to lead Ole Miss over No. 14 Southern Miss 4-1 Wednesday night in front a record crowd at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field.

The Pete Taylor Park crowd of 6,346 bettered the previous top mark of 5,706 established earlier this season against Louisiana Tech.

Golden Eagle starter Matt Adams looked sharp early. After allowing a single to Justin Bench to open the game, he got Jacob Gonzalez to hit into a double play, before retiring the next eight batters. Gonzalez was the next Ole Miss hitter to get on base with a one-out single in the fourth. After a Tim Elko strikeout, Graham homered off Adams to put Ole Miss up 2-1 with ninth shot of the season. The next batter, Alderman, then hit one off the videoboard in left center for his seventh of the year. After an ensuing walk, Adams’ night ended in the fourth.

Although the Golden Eagles got out of the fourth, the Rebels (27-19) added one more run in the fifth on a run-scoring single by Elko.

Southern Miss (36-13) had originally taken the lead in the second with a solo homer from Christopher Sargent to left for his team-leading 15th shot of the year.

The Golden Eagles, though, managed just five hits in the contest with two coming from Dustin Dickerson, including his team-leading 19th double. Southern Miss also left 10 runners on bases, while Ole Miss left six.

The home team tried to rally in the ninth as Rodrigo Montenegro opened the frame with a walk. After a strikeout, Charlie Fischer singled to put a pair of runners on base. Ole Miss closer Brandon Johnson, who started the ninth, got a strikeout and a pop out to second to end the game.

Ole Miss starter Drew McDaniel (5-2) registered the victory as he limited the Golden Eagles to a run on four hits with two walks and eight strikeouts over five innings. Johnson also earned his seventh save.

Adams suffered the loss and fell to 1-1, after surrendering three runs on four hits over 3 2/3 with a walk and four strikeouts.

Six Golden Eagle pitchers combined to fan 10 Rebel hitters to mark the 36th time this season the staff has registered 10 or more strikeouts.

Southern Miss finishes its home regular-season schedule this weekend when they entertain UTSA in a matchup of the top two teams in Conference USA. First pitch on Friday has been pushed back to 6:30 p.m., due to Southern Miss graduation ceremony taking place earlier in the afternoon.

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