Golden Eagles get past Louisiana Tech to win 3rd straight

Southern Miss Sports Information

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - Reece Ewing collected three hits and drove in a pair of runs to lead Southern Miss to a 6-5 non-conference baseball victory over Louisiana Tech Wednesday night at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field.

The Golden Eagles (25-15) won for third-straight time as they evened the season series with LA Tech, after losing 3-1 to the Bulldogs in Ruston last week.

After falling behind 2-0 to the visitors on a first-inning RBI fielder’s choice and a second-inning wild pitch, the Golden Eagles tied the game in their half of the second with a pair of runs. Christopher Sargent started the Southern Miss comeback with a double just inside the third-base bag that went down into the corner. Danny Lynch moved Sargent to third on a groundout to first, before Tate Parker knocked him in the first run with a single up the middle. Nick Monistere then tied the game with a sacrifice fly by driving in Parker.

It was Lynch that gave the Golden Eagles the lead for good an inning later. After Dustin Dickerson opened the frame with a single to center, Sargent moved the runner up to second with a grounder to third, before Lynch knocked him in with a single up the middle.

Ewing plated his first run with a solo home run off the right field fair pole for his fourth of the year in opening the fourth and then added an RBI single to right before Matthew Etzel added a sacrifice fly in a two-run sixth inning to complete the team’s scoring.

The Bulldogs (20-22) cut the Southern Miss deficit to one run in the eighth on a three-run home run to right from Ethan Bates, which was his eighth of the year. LA Tech got a fielder’s choice and then a single off of reliever Chase Adams before the blast gave the Golden Eagles a slim advantage.

With the home squad up one, Monistere came in and retired the last four hitters of the game to earn his first save of the year.

Golden Eagle starter Niko Mazza, who was on a limited pitch count, threw the first four innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts to earn the win and improve to 5-1.

Bulldog reliever Alec Sparks suffered the loss and fell to 3-3 after allowing two runs over two innings with four hits.

Southern Miss tied a season-high for doubles with six, including two from Rodrigo Montenegro and one from Etzel, who extended his hitting streak to a current team-best 10 games.

The Golden Eagles return to action this weekend when they entertain Arkansas State. Game times are set for 6 p.m., Friday, 2 p.m., Saturday, and 1 p.m., Sunday.

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