HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Nick Sandlin tied a career high with 14 strikeouts and led No. 15 Southern Miss to a 12-2 victory over UTSA in the Conference USA series opener on Saturday afternoon at Pete Taylor Park.
Sandlin (W, 3-0), who gave up only three hits, retired the first 10 batters he faced. The side-winding right-hander allowed only two runners to reach scoring position in his seven innings of work.
The Golden Eagles (13-4, 1-0 C-USA) sent 11 hitters to the plate in the first inning and scored six runs to take quick control of the contest.
Karan Patel, who started on the mound for the Roadrunners (7-9, 0-1 C-USA), settled in after the six-run first. The right-hander retired nine of the next 10 batters he faced before running into more trouble in the fifth.
Preseason C-USA Hitter of the Year Matt Wallner turned around the first pitch of the fifth and sailed it over the wall in right-center for his third home run of the campaign. An error later in the frame led to two more runs after Patel was chased from the action.
Hunter Slater hit a three-run homer in the sixth to push the lead to 12-0.
UTSA's only runs came in the ninth, as Chris Estrada hit a two-run round-tripper.
Joshua Lamb and Ryan Stacy had two hits apiece. Chase Keng added a double in the seventh, while Estrada cleared the bases with his first home run of the season in the ninth.
Patel (L, 1-1) gave up nine runs (seven earned) on nine hits in 4.2 innings. He also walked two and struck out six on 88 pitches (56 strikes).
The second game of the doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Steven Dressler (2-1) is slated to start the game on the mound for the Roadrunners.
