Southern Miss triples down to hammer FIU

Published 10:25 am Monday, March 16, 2015

Southern Miss’ triples spelled trouble for Florida International on Sunday.

The Golden Eagles hit three triples in the sixth inning — two by Daniel Keating — and scored 10 runs to blow out FIU 10-0 at Pete Taylor Park.

Keating drove in a total of four runs. The freshman’s two triples tied a school record held by 13 other players and helped turn a pitchers’ duel into a blowout and a series victory for Southern Miss (11-7-1, 2-1 Conference USA).

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USM’s James McMahon (4-0) allowed four hits in seven shutout innings to get the win. Florida International’s Christopher Mourelle breezed through five scoreless innings before things quickly unraveled in the sixth.

USM’s Nick Dawson and Connor Barron started things off with back-to-back singles. Keating then ripped a triple down the left field line to bring both men in and put Southern Miss on top 2-0.

Keating scored on a base hit by Breck Kline, who in turn scored on a triple by Matt Durst that made it 4-0 and chased Mourelle from the game.

Florida International (9-11, 1-2) used two more pitchers in the inning, but neither did much to stop the bleeding. The Golden Eagles wound up sending 15 batters to the plate, got nine hits and scored 10 runs.

McMahon then retired the side in order in the top of the seventh to finish the game by the 10-run mercy rule.

Keating finished the game 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Kline was 2-for-2 with two RBIs, Durst had two hits, and Barron singled twice and scored two runs.

Alabama 8, Mississippi State 4

Mississippi State’s bullpen had another costly meltdown, giving up four runs in the eighth inning,as the Bulldogs (16-6, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) lost Sunday to Alabama (11-7, 2-1) for the second time in three games.

Alabama’s Mikey White delivered an RBI single in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game at 4, then the Crimson Tide scored four times in the eighth to take the lead for good.

Mississippi State reliever Ross Mitchell issued a bases-loaded walk to Riley Colburn bring in the go-ahead run. Alabama had loaded the bases on a single and two walks against relievers Myles Gentry and Zac Houston.

After Colburn’s walk, Chandler Avant delivered a two-run single to make it 7-4. White finished things off with a two-out RBI single.

White and Avant each had two hits and two RBIs for Alabama, while Kyle Overstreet was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Colburn drove in three runs.

Jacob Robson went 2-for-3 with two runs scored for Mississippi State.