Bulldogs rally for victory
By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
April 23, 2003
STARKVILLE Mississippi State University feasted at the plate in the sixth inning to counter the famine the squad endured in the other eight innings to pick up a midweek victory over Southern Mississippi Tuesday evening.
The No. 12-ranked Bulldogs (29-9-1, 11-6 SEC) erased a 3-0 deficit in the bottom of the sixth notching five runs on five hits en route to a 6-4 win over the No. 21-ranked Golden Eagles (30-11, 14-4 C-USA) at Dudy Noble Field.
Bulldogs center fielder Jeff Butts tallied the game-winning hit following an error that allowed a run to score and an RBI single that cut Southern Miss' lead to 3-2.
The freshman outfielder smacked a double to right-center field to bring in right fielder Brad Corley and designated hitter Robby Goodson for a 4-3 advantage.
Butts crossed the plate himself on the strength of a single up the middle from senior shortstop Matthew Maniscalco, who went 4-for-5 with two RBIs in the win, to give the Bulldogs a 5-3 cushion over the Golden Eagles.
MSU starter Jeff Lacher picked up the win, after being told he would not re-enter the game after coming into the dugout after the top of the sixth.
The junior right-hander from Hattiesburg gave up three runs on seven hits in six innings, with five strike outs.
Southern Miss took an early 2-0 lead on an inside-the-park home run in the third inning.
Golden Eagles center fielder Jeff Cook, who played at Hattiesburg High School with Lacher, launched an offering from his old Tigers' teammate to the left-center field gap.
Corley leapt for the fly ball at the wall only to have it bounce off his glove, careen off his head and skip off the wall to center field.
Southern Miss, which posted another run in the top of the fifth for a 3-0 lead, couldn't match MSU's bullpen arms.
Goodson, Brian Owens and Jonathan Papelbon combined two allow three hits and one run over the final three innings to secure the win.
The Golden Eagles trifecta of Ray Antonelli, Bob McCrory, who is the scheduled starter for Southern Miss in Friday's Conference USA game against UAB, and Austin Tubb gave up two runs on five hits over three innings.
Golden Eagles starter Cliff Russum took the loss allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits in five innings, with three strike outs.
MSU and Southern Miss finish the midweek series at 6:30 p.m. today at Dudy Noble.
