Final Stats

Box Score: USM 2, LA Tech 0

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Louisiana Tech stranded 10 runners on the base paths as No. 16 Southern Miss won the final game of the weekend, 2-0, over the Bulldogs to take the series Sunday afternoon at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg.

Southern Miss needed just two runs on offense after the Golden Eagle pitching staff posted their fourth shutout of the season by holding LA Tech to six hits on the day.

The Bulldogs fell to 34-16 overall on the season with a 16-11 mark in Conference USA action, while Southern Miss improved to 36-15 and 20-7 in league play.

Despite the series loss, LA Tech will return to Hattiesburg in 10 days to compete in the 2016 Conference USA Baseball Championship, which is being held at Pete Taylor Park. The Bulldogs secured their spot in the tournament Friday night with a 7-5 win over the Golden Eagles.

Casey Sutton was dealt his first loss of the season on the mound for the Bulldogs after giving up two runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings. Sutton (6-1) walked four and struck out one before right-hander Nate Harris came on in relief in the seventh. Harris allowed just one Southern Miss base runner on a walk over the final inning and two-thirds, but did not surrender a hit and struck out three batters.

Southern Miss freshman Walker Powell made just his second start of the season Sunday and shut out the Bulldogs as the right-hander gave up just three hits and struck out four in 5.1 innings of work. Nick Sandlin pitched the final 2.2 innings for the Golden Eagles and held LA Tech to just one hit to pick up his 10th save of the season.

In the bottom of the second, Southern Miss drew first blood after a lead-off double by Hunter Slater brought Daniel Keating to the plate, who singled up the middle to give the Golden Eagles a 1-0 lead. Sutton was able to minimize the damage by getting a double play ground ball to third and a fly ball to right field to end the inning.

Southern Miss extended its lead to 2-0 in the third a lead-off walk, single, sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly gave the Golden Eagles a two-run advantage over the Bulldogs after three innings of play.

Taylor Love and Chase Lunceford were each 2-for-4 on the afternoon, while Chandler Hall and Jonathan Washam also reached on a base hit apiece for the Bulldogs.

LA Tech returns home for its final three games of the regular season when the Bulldogs host No. 14 Rice in a three-game series beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park. The Bulldogs and Owls will face off again at 6 p.m. Friday in Ruston in what will be Senior Night at the ball park for LA Tech's 10 seniors on the team. The series finale between LA Tech and Rice is set for 1 p.m. Saturday.

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