Error-prone Jackets fall to Southern Miss

"We didn't make some plays that we needed to make and they capitalized on it," Tech coach Danny Hall said. "The next big inning they had again we just made a couple of mistakes defensively. They made us pay for them.

"We gave them too many extra outs."

Hall said after Friday's win over Georgia State that Winn was in the lineup specifically for his defense. Hall chose not to take him to last week's ACC tournament, but said after thinking about it later he thought Winn, who hadn't committed an error this season, gave his team its best chance to win.

"I said it last night and I still believe that," Hall said. "He's a great defensive infielder."

But he, Skole and starting pitcher Brandon Cumpton (4-3) had their troubles in the third and fifth innings.

Trailing 3-1 in the third, the Eagles took the lead on wild pitch and three errors -- two by Winn (one fielding, one throwing), and the other by Skole -- to give the Eagles a 4-3 lead.

"It's baseball, it's one of those sports where you can go out there and feel your best and do your worst," said Winn, whose last start before Friday came against Georgia on April 14.

The Eagles scored four more in the fifth, in part because of a two-base fielding error by Winn and a wild pitch by Cumpton. Winn was lifted in the sixth for Jason Garofalo, who started the last two games of the ACC tournament.

Now the Jackets must turn their attention to tomorrow's loser's bracket game against Elon, which has hit more home runs (138) than any team in baseball.

Hall said that he hasn't decided who his starting pitcher will be.

Outfielder Luke Murton, whose two-run homer closed the score to 10-7 in the ninth, said Omaha isn't in his thoughts.

"As far as I'm concerned we have one game tomorrow," he said.

"If we win we can get ready for the second game."