USM dispatches WKU behind McCarty's career day

Kirk McCarty kept Western Kentucky off the scoreboard Friday, and Matt Wallner put Southern Miss on it.

Together, they led the Golden Eagles to a 6-1 win on the road against their Conference USA brethren. The victory is Southern Miss’ 13th in its last 14 games, and runs its overall record to 22-5. Scott Berry’s team also improves to 6-1 in league action. WKU drops to 9-18 and 3-4.

McCarty, the junior left-handed pitcher, tossed eight shutout innings and struck out a career-high 11 Hilltoppers. He allowed six hits and did not walk a batter, improving his record to 4-2. In three career starts versus Western Kentucky, McCarty sports a 0.42 earned run average and has struck out 24 over three walks.

"Too many walks," McCarty said during his postgame radio interview.

"He was outstanding," Berry said. "He was in the driver's seat from the moment he took the mound. The storyline has to be Kirk McCarty and what he did. What a great performance."

Wallner, the Golden Eagles’ true freshman outfielder, gave the visitors a 2-0 lead in the top of the first with a two-run double that scored Taylor Braley and Hunter Slater. In the sixth, Bryant Bowen drove in a run after reaching base on an error to extend the lead to 3-0.

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In the eighth, Wallner swatted a solo home run to give Southern Miss a 4-0 advantage. The big fly was the Minnesotan’s Conference USA-leading eighth of the year.

"We talk about steady wins the race, and that's just the way he is. He's a very even-keeled player, which is probably why he's so successful," Berry said.

The Golden Eagles added a pair of runs in the ninth on consecutive RBI doubles from Dylan Burdeaux and Daniel Keating. Both runs scored with two out in the inning. Five of Southern Miss’ six runs came with two outs.

Trent Driver finished the game on the mound for the Golden Eagles.

Southern Miss entered play Friday in a three-way tie for first place in the league standings with Old Dominion and Florida Atlantic. The Monarchs’ scheduled game against Charlotte was postponed due to inclement weather, while the Owls faced off against Rice.

The same teams will meet in game two of the three-game series at 1 p.m. Saturday.