May 21, 2003

Box Score

NEW ORLEANS - The Charlotte 49ers baseball team lost their first-ever first round conference tournament game under Coach Loren Hibbs as they fell to #15 Southern Miss, 13-0, in the Conference USA Tournament at Tulane's Turchin Stadium.

"I take great pride in having our program prepared for the conference tournament," Charlotte coach Loren Hibbs said. "This is something we are not accustomed to since this is the first time that we have ever lost a first round conference tournament game while I have been the coach at Charlotte. But you have to give tremendous credit to Southern Miss. They are a very good team. They can really hit. We now have to find a way to regroup against East Carolina tomorrow."

George Sandel, Marko Little, Thomas Bowker and Michael Roane each had a hit for the 49ers in the game.

Southern Miss jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning. Marc Maddox scored the game's first run on Brad Willcutt's single to center field. Then, Jeff Cook and Willcutt scored on Clint King's double to left field with the inning's other two runs.

The Golden Eagles plated another run in the third inning on King's two-out home run over the left center field wall.

Southern Miss increased their lead, 6-0, when Jarrett Hoffpauir and Jason Lowery scored in the fourth inning.

Then, Southern Miss rounded out their scoring with seven runs on seven hits in the fifth inning.

The 49ers will face fifth seed East Carolina in the first elimination game of the Conference USA Tournament, Thursday, May 22 at 10 am.