For the second time in two weeks, Southern Mississippi proved to be too much for the Cougars. With a 4-2 loss, UH is eliminated from playing in Sunday’s Conference USA Championship game
Timely hits by the Golden Eagles and some baserunning and defensive miscues by the Cougars slowed down their momentum.
Numerically speaking, it seemed like the Cougars were in line for a game of seven runs or more as they racked up 12 hits, but that was not case as the Golden Eagles recorded four double plays. In addition to stellar Golden Eagle defense, the Cougars stranded eight runners over the course of the game. Overly aggressive base running also created several costly outs.
“When you turn four double plays you’re giving yourself a great chance to win,” said head coach Todd Whitting. We did things today that we didn’t do all year long. It’s a bad time to do it, but that’s the way it goes.”
Starter Daniel Poncedeleon lasted 6.2 innings, surrendering four earned runs. Relievers Matt Hernandez Chase Wellbrock finished out the game, with neither allowing a run.
Junior infielders Frankie Ratcliff and Jonathan Davis both went 3-4. For the Ratcliff, the game marked his 16th multiple hit game of the 2013 season. Sophomore outfielder Michael Pyeatt knocked in an RBI, with the other runs coming off of errors
Southern Miss put up two runs over the first two innings with the Cougars matching them in the fourth. The teams traded scoreless fifth and sixth innings before the Golden Eagles came back to pick up two more in the top of the seventh. Despite the stumbles, Whitting said team played hard and never quit, even if the ratio of hits to runs scored didn’t go the Cougars way.
With a match against season rival Tulane on Saturday, the Cougars still have more on the line than advancing in the C-USA tournament.
“It’s a big game for us, because we’re still in the mix for a NCAA regional bid. If things work out for us the rest of this tournament and we get to win number 37 I don’t see a reason why we don’t go,” Whitting said. “We have a regional type ball club we have a really young, but good team.”
