The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns dropped their series opener with the #10 Southern Miss Golden Eagles 8-1 on Friday Night. In a highly anticipated matchup, the Cajuns’ offense failed to overcome excellent pitching from USM. With the loss, UL falls to 19-14 (4-8 SBC), and USM improves to 25-9 (8-5 SBC).
HOW IT HAPPENED:
After a rain delay pushed the start time back from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM, the game finally got underway.
Sawyer Pruitt started on the mound for the Cajuns and worked a 1-2-3 inning to open the night.
For Southern Miss, sophomore lefty Grayden Harris got the start for the Golden Eagles. Josh Lim doubled to right field off Harris but was left stranded after back-to-back strikeouts from Mark Collins and Rigoberto Hernandez to end the first.
Pruitt ran into trouble in the second. After a leadoff single from Davis Gillespie, Matthew Russo hit a no-doubter over the right field wall to put Southern Miss up 2-0.
In the top of the fourth, the Golden Eagles struck again. After three straight walks by Pruitt, Drey Barrett reached on a fielder’s choice that could have been a 4-6-3 double play, but shortstop Blaze Rodriguez overthrew first, allowing another run to score. Southern Miss led 4-0 after four innings.
After issuing another walk to start the fifth, Sawyer Pruitt’s night came to an end. His final line: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 5 K, and a career-high six walks.
Left-hander Tyler Papenbrock came in to relieve Pruitt with a runner at first. Papenbrock immediately walked Kyle Morrison, then induced back-to-back ground balls to get out of the inning unscathed.
Harris continued to handcuff the Cajuns, holding them to three 1-2-3 innings through five.
Southern Miss added another two runs in the sixth. Papenbrock plunked Ben Higdon, then Tucker Stockman homered to right to put the Eagles up 6-0.
Drew Markle finally got the Cajuns on the board in the seventh, singling to left field to drive in Donovan LaSalle and cut the deficit to five.
Harris’ night ended shortly thereafter in the seventh. His final line: 6.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 10 K, 1 BB.
Senior right-hander Colby Allen came in for Harris and retired the side.
Southern Miss added two more runs in the eighth on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly from Seth Smith to make it 8-1 USM.
That score would hold, giving USM an 8-1 win.
BIG NUMBER: 15
The Southern Miss pitching staff combined for 15 strikeouts against the Cajuns. Harris and Allen were excellent for the Golden Eagles against a struggling Louisiana offense.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Grayden Harris
While he only threw for 6.1 innings, Harris was dialed in tonight. He struck out 10 and only gave up one run on four hits.
UP NEXT: Louisiana and Southern Miss will meet again in game two tomorrow at 2 PM.