As Colby Allen entered Saturday’s game with Southern Miss trailing by two runs and facing no outs with runners at the corners, it seemed like giving up just one run would be a small victory.
Instead of feeling the pressure, Allen kept things simple.
“I really try and think of it like nobody is on base,” Allen said. “I play my game."
Allen then delivered three strikeouts to end Old Dominion’s threat and shifted the game's momentum as the Golden Eagles pulled off an 11-4 come-from-behind win on Saturday night.
“I’d be lying to you if I thought he’d get out of that without giving up a run with runners at first and third with no outs,” Southern Miss coach Christian Ostrander said. “He did, and he settled in. That’s what he is. He was awesome and gave us a chance.
“He has a heart of a lion and never not wants the ball. He was fresh and had been extended before, and did it again. This was the moment to do it. The only chance I thought we had to win that game was to stop, and that’s what he did.”
Allen has appeared in four of the last five games Southern Miss – with his most recent outing featuring him throwing 78 pitches.
“I went in with the first guy at least trying to get one strikeout in that situation and then roll a ground ball,” Allen said. “I guess three Ks will work too.
“I’ll probably be a little sore tomorrow. Usually, if I can keep it under about 40 (pitches), I won’t be too bad the next day.”
The Monarchs jumped out to an early 4-0 lead after hitting a two-run homer in the first inning as Southern Miss’ starting pitcher Kros Sivley struggled. Old Dominion (4-12, 0-2 Sun Belt) then scored in the second from a throwing error and then another solo home run in the third.
“I could tell early on that (Sivley) was moving slower than he normally does,” Ostrander said. “That arm was stuck a little bit. He didn’t have his rhythm and that happens sometimes.”
Southern Miss (14-5, 2-0) got back a pair of runs in the fourth inning from a two-run home run by Carson Paetow, but Sivley continued to struggle in the top of the fifth as he surrendered back-to-back singles leading to Allen’s call from the bullpen.
“That first two-run home run by Carson was huge,” Ostrander said. “That first one when we are down 4-0; if that doesn’t happen, then I don’t know if I’m going to Colby at that moment. If it’s a 4-0 game, then I don’t know if that’s happening.”
Allen struck out seven batters and allowed one hit in five innings.
“For us to have a shutdown inning, that’s always huge, especially when you are halfway through the game and losing,” said Carson Paetow of Allen’s outing. “He’s one of our leaders. For him to lead with action shows the young guys how it’s done. It sparked some momentum for sure.”
Making sure Allen’s relief outing wasn’t in vain, true freshman Drey Barrett stepped in to pinch-hit in the eighth inning. Barrett squared up a ball to left field that initially looked to be a robbery of a hit, but ODU’s left fielder dropped the ball and allowed two runs to score and take the lead.
“That was definitely, in my opinion, one of the at-bats of the game,” Paetow said. “For him to come off the bench and hit a go-ahead double is huge.
“His future is bright. He has such a high ceiling. I had all the confidence in the world in him. He’s a dog. That was the biggest at-bat of the game.”
Barrett’s at-bat sparked an eight-run inning for Southern Miss, with Matthew Russo and Nick Moninstere hitting RBI doubles along with an infield RBI single by Jake Cook, while Paetow tacked on another two-run home run.
"I told Russo, 'Man, y'all got to stop. I love y'all putting up runs, but goodness, these 30-minute innings are long," Allen said. "It was awesome seeing that."
First pitch for Sunday’s game is set for 12 p.m.
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