HATTIESBURG, MS-- Connor Barron's two-out RBI hit in the top of the 12 th lifted third seeded Southern Miss Golden Eagles (36-17-1) to a 2-0 victory over seventh seeded ODU Monarchs (27-29) Thursday in an elimination game at the 2015 Conference USA Baseball Championships.
This was the second longest game in C-USA Tournament history and the first time two teams went past nine innings scoreless in a tournament game.
ODU starter and sophomore lefthander Adam Bainbridge pitched 8.1 innings of scoreless baseball, allowing nine hits and walking only one while USM's starter James McMahon, the C-USA Pitcher of the Year went 8.2 innings allowing five hits, one walk and five strikeouts.
Nick Walker led ODU with three hits, while freshman Justin Hayes had two hits for the Monarchs.
In the 12th inning, Michael Sterling singled with two outs and stole second base. Nick Dawson then drew a walk, followed by Connor Barron's single which scored Sterling. Dawson then came home with the second run when rightfielder Walker's error.
ODU threatened in the ninth and 10th innings with two runners on base, but were unable to score.USM's reliever Nick Johnson picked up the win, fanning four in 2.1 innings of work.
Southern Miss had to finish its game with UAB (suspended from last night due to lightning) right before playing the Monarchs, losing 4-0.
USM 000 000 000 002=2-11-0
ODU 000 000 000 000 =0-8-1
USM: McMahon, Milton(9), Lowery(10), Johnson(10) and Robinson
ODU:Bainbridge, Hartman(9) and Perez
WP: Johnson(4-0) LP: Hartman(0-6)