USM’s Walker Powell throws 7-inning no-hitter Saturday afternoon

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - University of Southern Mississippi right-hander Walker Powell threw a complete-game no-hitter Saturday afternoon in the first seven-inning game of a Conference USA doubleheader with Middle Tennessee State at Pete Taylor Park.

Powell, a senior from Fayetteville, Ark,, came within a walk of a perfect game in the 6-0 win over the Blue Raiders, as he faced one batter over the minimum 21 for a seven-inning game. He struck out a career-high 12 batters in posting his second consecutive, complete-game, seven-inning outing on back-to-back weekends.

Saturday marked the first no-hitter by one USM hurler since Cliff Russum turned the trick against Eastern Illinois University on March 13, 2004.

Three USM pitchers combined on a no hitter at the Conference USA Baseball Championship two years ago when Gabe Shepard, Cody Carroll and Hunter Stanley combined to shutdown Rice on May 25, 2019

Powell (8-2) needed 89 pitches to pick up his 28th career win, the most by an active Division I pitcher and third-most on the Golden Eagles’ career list He has won 14 of his last 16 decisions.

Reed Trimble and Andrew Stanley each homered and drove in two runs Saturday as USM improved to 32-15, 18-7 C-USA.

Powell’s gem comes on the heels of Stanley’s Friday effort, when he allowed two hits and struck out a career-high 16 over nine scoreless innings in a game USM won 2-1 in 10 innings.

The Golden Eagles and Blue Raiders will play another seven-inning game this evening.