Charlotte's Rally Falls Short Against #17 Southern Miss
Randall Poplin collected a season-high five RBI in his final home game against Southern Miss |
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May 16, 2004
CHARLOTTE, NC - The Charlotte 49ers baseball team's dramatic ninth inning rally fell short as they lost their home finale, 12-11, to #17 Southern Miss. The 49ers had rallied from a six run deficit tying the score. 9-9, in the seventh inning. Southern Miss plated three runs in the top of the ninth inning to regain the lead, 12-9, and setting up the dramatic bottom of the ninth inning.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Adam Willard and Jamie Rusco scored on Chris Lane's two-out pinch hit single left field cutting Southern Miss' lead to one run. Then, Adam Floyd connected on a base hit to center field. Lane tried to score the game-tying run on Floyd's hit but he was gunned down at the plate by a throw from Jarrett Hoffpauir from shallow center field ending the game.
Randall Poplin paced the 49ers in his final home game with two hits and five RBI. Rusco and Floyd each had three hits in the game. Thomas Bowker, Willard and Brian Scafe added two hits to the 49ers attack.
In the second inning, Southern Miss plated the game's first run when Ryan Frith scored on Jody Blount's double down the right field line in the second inning.
The Golden Eagles added three runs to their total on four hits in the third inning. Jarrett Hoffpauir scored the inning's first run on Brad Willcutt's single to left field. Then, Wilcutt and Carlos Velasquez scored on Jason Lowery's single to left field.
Southern Miss added two more runs in the fourth inning on Velasquez's two-run single to left field making the score 6-0.
Charlotte cut the Southern Miss lead in half when Poplin connected on his tenth home run of the season with three-run blast over the right field wall.
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Southern Miss plated a run in the fifth inning when Lowery connected on a solo home run over the center field wall.
The 49ers got right back into the game with three runs on two hits in the fifth inning. Bowker and Willard scored on Scafe's single to left field. Then, Rusco scored the inning's other run on Poplin's infield groundout.
Golden Eagles added two more runs in the sixth inning. Hoffpauir and Willcutt scored for Southern Miss in the inning.
Charlotte tied the score with three runs on four hits in the seventh inning. Bowker, who reached base on a double to left field, scored the inning's first run on Rusco's double off the left center field wall. Willard scored on Scafe's infield groundout. Then, Rusco scored the game-tying run on Poplin's single to center field.
Southern Miss regained the lead for good with three runs in the ninth inning.
The 49ers conclude the regular season at Conference USA foe TCU, May 20-22. The first game of the series is Thursday, May 20 at 8 pm.
