Freshman Duo Lead Baseball Past No. 20 Southern Miss
3/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The University of Alabama baseball team got solid outings from a pair of true freshmen en route to an easy 13-3 win over No. 20 Southern Miss on Tuesday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
Freshman left-hander Miers Quigley (Roswell, Ga.) held the Golden Eagles to three runs and four hits through a career-high seven innings and freshman right fielder Kent Matthes (Orlando) added two hits and two RBI as the Crimson Tide snapped its three-game losing streak.
Quigley (1-1) held USM to single runs in the fourth, fifth and eighth innings for his first collegiate win on the mound. He added three strikeouts and walked one.
"Quigley had his best game on the mound tonight," Alabama coach Jim Wells said. "He went deep into the game and threw three pitches for strikes."
Matthes gave the Crimson Tide the lead with an RBI single in the bottom of the third inning to spark a four-run inning that put Alabama ahead to stay. He added an RBI double in the fifth inning to give the Tide a 6-2 lead.
"I'm really happy for Matthes," Wells added. "He is a very athletic kid and did a really nice job for us tonight."
The Crimson Tide scored four runs on five hits in the bottom of the fourth inning to snap a 1-1 tie and take control of the game.
Senior catcher David Ferazza (Hayward, Calif.), senior first baseman Spencer Pennington (Fayette) and Matthes opened the fourth inning with three straight hits, with Matthes infield single scoring Ferazza from third to put UA head to stay at 2-1.
After junior left fielder Brandon Belcher (Ruston, La.) reached on a fielder's choice, junior shortstop Greg Paiml (Hoover) laced a double into the right field corner to score Pennington and Belcher to the Tide in front 4-1. Junior centerfielder Emeel Salem (Mountain Brook) singled through the right side of the infield to score Paiml as the Tide built a 5-1 lead.
USM starter Patrick Ezell (1-2) was charged with the loss as he allowed five runs and eight hits in four innings.
The Golden Eagles scored an unearned run in the top of the fifth inning to close the gap to 5-2. Trey Sutton reached on a throwing error by Quigley and later scored on Toddric Johnson's one-out ground ball single through the right side of the infield.
The Crimson Tide got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Matthes ripped a two-out double over the head of left fielder Drew Carson to score Valverde from second base with the 6-2 lead.
Alabama (14-6) roughed up seven USM pitchers and finished the game with 14 hits. Bama put the game out of reach with three runs in the seventh inning and four more in the eighth.
Bama took advantage of three walks and two errors to take a 9-2 lead in the seventh inning. Pennigton had an RBI groundout, Belcher drew a bases loaded walk and Paiml capped the inning with a sacrifice fly.
The Crimson Tide added four runs in the seven inning to close out the scoring. Freshman Ryan Rhoden (Tuscaloosa) had a pinch-hit RBI single and Belcher added an RBI ground out. Salem made it a 13-3 game with a two-run single up the middle.
Salem had three hits and matched his career-high with three RBI for the Crimson Tide. Paiml added two hits and three RBI as well.
Alabama scored a run on three hits in the bottom of the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. Belcher collected the game's first hit with a one-out single to left. Paiml followed with a bunt single to third base. After Salem reached on a fielder's choice, Downs laced a single to left field to score Paiml from second to give the Tide the lead.
Southern Miss answered with a run in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at 1-1. Marc Maddox was hit by pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Jody Blount's two-out single to left.
The Golden Eagles final run came in the eighth inning when Bo Davis doubled and scored on Maddox's sac fly to right field.
Alabama opens Southeastern Conference play this weekend at No. 23 Georgia in Athens. The series opener is Friday, March 17 at 7 p.m. (ET) from Foley Field.
GAME NOTES:
- Alabama has won 10 straight home games against Southern Miss, dating back to 1987. The Crimson Tide is 23-1 at home against the Golden Eagles in the last 24 meetings.
- The win over Southern Miss was Alabama's 999th all-time win at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The ballpark opened in 1949 and the Tide has compiled a 999-427-1 (.702).
- Eight of Alabama's nine starters had at least one hit in the win over Southern Miss. All 13 Crimson Tide batters reached base in the win.
- Alabama is now 2-5 (.286) against Top 25 teams this season, following its win over USM. The Southern Miss game was Alabama's fourth straight against a ranked team. The streak will grow to seven in-a-row this weekend as UA faces No. 23 Georgia to open SEC play in Athens.
- Southern Miss head coach Corky Palmer celebrated his 52nd birthday on Wednesday.
