NORFOLK, Va. – Nick Sandlin tossed a three-hit shutout to lead No. 15 Southern Miss to a 2-0 Conference USA series-opening victory over Old Dominion Friday night at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex.
The Golden Eagles (30-11 overall, 14-4 C-USA) tied their season-best winning streak this season of seven games with the victory, while the Monarchs fell to 12-27 and 5-14.
Sandlin fanned 10 and walked two in the contest but took advantage of two double plays as the Monarchs did not get more than one runner on base in any inning in the contest. The junior right-hander from Evans, Ga., has now fanned 97 and walked eight during the season as he improved to 6-0 on the year with the victory.
After leaving the bases loaded with no runs in both the fourth and fifth innings, Southern Miss finally scratched across its first run with in the seventh.
Mason Irby led off the frame with a walk and then advanced a base after a LeeMarcus Boyd sacrifice and a groundout by Gabe Montenegro, before Guidry – who had three of the nine Golden Eagle hits – doubled down the rightfield line to score the game’s first run.
The visitors added another run in the ninth. After a leadoff double by Cole Donaldson, Irby followed with a run-scoring single. Irby finished the contest with two hits.
Jack Jett, the third of six ODU hurlers, suffered the loss by allowing a run on one walk and registering an out to fall to 0-2 on the year.
The series continues Saturday with a 2 p.m. contest.
