University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
Southern Miss
Tigers Drop C-USA Opener, 3-2
Mar 18, 2000 | Baseball
March 17, 2000
Hattiesburg, Ms. - Even a suburb pitching performance from junior pitcher/designated hitter Jonathan Leicester, who went a full nine-and-a-half innings and struck out 12 batters, just wasn't enough on Friday night. Unfortunately for the University of Memphis (5-14, 0-1), they suffered a tough loss to the Golden Eagles of Southern Miss (11-9, 1-0) to start Conference USA play, falling 3-2 in ten innings.
The Tigers got on the board in the third inning when sophomore center-fielder Paul Reuer scored the first run from second base, off a single up the middle by junior shortstop Gabe Interiano, and Memphis led 1-0. In the top of the fourth, sophomore first baseman Jay Fik (Christian Brothers H.S.) led off with a single over second and would eventually cross home plate, two batters later, when senior catcher Craig Hopkins singled up the middle and the Tigers increased their lead by one, making the score 2-0. The Golden Eagles responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth, as Dusty Haley hit a sacrifice fly to right field and drove in Chris Finnegan to make the score, 2-1 going into the fifth. Southern Miss would answer back again in the bottom of the sixth, when Dusty Haley singled to right and drove in Josh Hoffpauir from second, tying the game, 2-2. The game remained quiet until the bottom of the tenth, when the Golden Eagles got the winning run on a two-out single up the middle and ended an excellent game on all sides of the diamond.
Offensively, Memphis was led by Reuer, who went 3-for-4 on the night, with three singles and a walk while scoring a run. As a team, the Tigers were one hit shy of equaling their single-season high of 11 hits, as they finished with 10.
Leicester (0-4) was the only pitcher for Memphis, as he faced 38 batters, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while walking only one and fanning 12. He was only five strike-outs away from tying the Tiger single-game record of 17 strike-outs in one game. For Southern Miss, it was Danny Stout grabbing the win (1-0), he went two-and-a-half innings in relief duty, facing 11 batters and allowing only two hits. Stout would walk one and strike-out three, in the win.
Coach Jeff Hopkins after the game said, "That was one of the best pitching performances we have ever had at this school and one of the best I've ever seen. We played a great game and swung the bats well. They just got the big hit in the end."
The Tigers will attempt to get their first road and C-USA win when they play the Golden Eagles again tomorrow March 18th , at 3 p.m. at Pete Taylor Park. They will play the final game of this three-game series on Sunday March 19th , at 1 p.m. at Pete Taylor Park.
