HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WTVA/USM Athletics) - Sophomore Mason Robbins tossed six strong inning and added four hits and two runs batted in to lead Southern Miss past Alcorn State 7-2 Sunday afternoon in the final day of the USM Invitational at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field.
The Golden Eagles improved to (5-2) behind a season-high 15 hits, including three from freshman Tim Lynch and two from senior Isaac Rodriguez.
Robbins (1-0) tied a career-best for both innings (six) and strikeouts (five) as he allowed one run on six hits and a walk.
He drove in the game's first run in the first with a double and then scored on a fielding error by Braves first baseman Jordan Boston to make the score 2-0 after a frame.
After getting a solo run in second on a RBI-double by Dillon Day, the Golden Eagles extended the lead to 5-0 courtesy of a two-run single by sophomore Austin Roussel.
Alcorn (0-9) collected its first run with a Christian Hickman sacrifice fly in the sixth and then closed the gap to 5-2 in the top of the eighth with a pinch-hit RBI single from Josh Powell.
The Golden Eagles, though, got a run-scoring double by Rodriguez and an RBI-single from Robbins to lengthen the final gap.
ASU starter Justin Lemond (0-2) allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits and a walk over 2.1 innings to suffer the loss.
Earlier in the day, Missouri State defeated Eastern Illinois 5-4 with a run in the bottom of the ninth.
The Golden Eagles start a five-game road swing Tuesday when they travel to Monroe, La., to face ULM (4-3). Game time is set for 6 p.m.
