May 26, 2004

HOUSTON - Behind the pitching of starter Jarrett Grube, the University of Memphis jump-started the Conference USA Baseball Tournament at Cougar Field with a 10-5 upset over Southern Miss. The Tigers broke the game open with three runs in the seventh and two in the eighth, and UM stifled a late-game rally by the Golden Eagles to run their overall record to 29-26, while USM falls to 40-16.

The Tigers scored 10 runs - the most runs ever for Memphis in a C-USA Tournament game - on 17 hits. Grube improved to 9-4 on the year in pitching 6.1 innings and allowing just three runs on seven hits. Corey Kines relieved Grube in the eighth inning, and allowed two runs on three hits, including a two-run shot by Southern Miss first baseman Marc Maddox in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Jordan Hart was the offensive catalyst for the Tigers, tying the tournament record with five hits in the game, including two home runs. With a solo shot in the eighth, he became only the twelfth player in C-USA Tournament history to hit two homers in a game and the first Tiger to accomplish the feat since Ronnie Brassi in 1996.

Memphis jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead with three runs in the first inning. Chad House lead off the game with a single, and after one out and an error by Maddox, which allowed Brent Dlugach to reach base safely, Kurt Welch singled House home and advanced Dlugach to third. Ryan Martin followed with a sacrifice fly to center, and Welch later scored on a single by Kyle Scott.

The Golden Eagles answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning on back-to-back doubles by Jarrett Hoffpauir and Brad Willcutt.

Southern Miss added another run in the third to even the score. Lead-off hitter Matt Sheperd was hit by a pitch from Grube to reach first, and after Maddox struck out looking, advanced to second on a single to left by Hoffpauir. Willcutt walked to load the bases, and after recording the second out on a strike out, Grube threw a wild pitch allowing Sheperd to score.

Hart's first solo homer in the fourth recaptured the lead for Memphis.

The Tigers' three runs in the seventh came on four hits, including a double by Josh Payne.

After allowing four runs, two earned, in 5.2 innings of work, Cliff Russum took the loss for the Golden Eagles and falls to 6-3 overall on the year.

With the win, Memphis advances to play either Tulane or UAB, who play Friday afternoon, on Thursday, May 27, at 3:00 p.m. Southern Miss falls into Bracket Two of the double-elimination tournament and will face either Tulane or UAB on Thursday at 9:00 a.m.