Box score
MOBILE, Ala. – Southern Miss right-hander Josh Thomason tossed seven shutout innings in relief to lead the Golden Eagles to a 7-4 win over University of South Alabama baseball Wednesday evening at Stanky Field.
Thomason (2-1) surrendered just one hit and retired 20 of 22 batters faced and retired 16 consecutive to end the game after relieving starter Dillon Day, who allowed four runs in two innings pitched. Thomason finished with five strikeouts and allowed just one walk in the game.
Jaguar right-hander Jeff Miller (0-4) suffered the loss in 1 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on five hits in relief of starter Shane LeBlanc, who tossed 4 1/3 innings and allowed four runs on just three hits with three strikeouts and five walks.
Southern Miss took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a one-out, two-run homer to left field by B.A. Vollmuth. But the Jags answered with two runs in the bottom-half of the first to tie the game on a sacrifice fly by Brent Tanner and bases-loaded walk by Jordan Patterson.
USA then took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jake Overstreet that scored Hunt Griffith after he led off the inning with a hit by pitch.
The Jags doubled their lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI single to left field by Brad Hook that scored Earley, after he led off the inning with a single. From that point on, Thomason held the Jaguars hitless.
Southern Miss (33-11) went ahead for good in the top of the fifth with three runs on an RBI double by Tyler Koelling and a two-run double by B.A. Vollmuth.
The Golden Eagles added a run in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Ashley Graeter, and scored the game’s final run on a bases-loaded walk by Jared Bales in the top of the seventh.
Vollmuth went 2-for-4 with a home run, double, four RBI and one run scored to lead Southern Miss at the plate. Koelling finished 2-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and an RBI, and Graeter went 2-for-3 with a double, one RBI and a run scored.
Taylor White went 2-for-5 with one run scored to lead South Alabama, while Overstreet and Hook added one hit and one RBI apiece. Tanner and Patterson also drove in one run each.
South Alabama (22-23) will return to action this weekend when it hosts Arkansas State in a three-game Sun Belt Conference series at Stanky Field, beginning Friday at 6 p.m.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
-USA-
NOTES: White recorded his team-leading 20th multiple-hit game of the season, and recorded his third consecutive multiple-hit game … Overstreet moved to within three RBI of tying former Jaguar Mike Mordecai for fifth on the all-time list … South Alabama tied the program’s longest losing streak (7), set in 1981, with the loss.
