Monday, April 27, 2015 Volume 99 Issue 54

www.studentprintz.com

N E W S F E A T U R E O P I N I O N S P O R T SResearch NeuroFuse Capital punishment Track & Field

Students ponder ethics of using ‘smart drugs.’

Lawsuit brings Miss. use of lethal injection into question.

Eagles record season-best in Southern Miss Invitational.

PAGE THREE PAGE FIVE PAGE SIX PAGE SEVEN

Physics departments seeks new way to detect radiation.

At the end of the 2015 spring semester, The University of Southern Mississippi’s Department of Art and Design and School of Mass Communication and Journalism will shut down the black and white photography darkrooms used for wet photography.

According to Howard Paine, associate professor and chair of art and design, the closings are largely the result of several factors, including a decreased budget in the art department, overall limited space in the George Hurst Building and the fact that Southern Miss has no concentration in photography. Also, Paine said there are facility concerns with ADA access and ventilation.

“As an artist, this was a diffi cult decision to make,” Paine said. “I value my own college experience in wet photography. However, there are several compelling reasons to close the darkroom.”

In addition, the utilization of digital approaches in photography is currently becoming increasingly relevant in comparison to traditional photography methods.

“The transition of the introductory photography from a wet process to a digital one will provide more practical value to our students,” Paine said.

Sophomore graphic design major Brennan Kennedy is a student in the Department of Art

and Design and has participated in wet photography courses in the darkrooms. However, Kennedy said he agreed with Paine in that closing the darkrooms is ultimately the most logical decision in an increasingly digital age.

“(Darkroom wet photography) is a diminishing kind of photography,” Kennedy said. “Ever since digital photography came around we’ve been able to achieve the same things as wet photography, just much easier.”

Paine and Kennedy both agreed that, given the circumstances, closing the darkrooms would positively impact the budget, and therefore positively impact USM, because the school will be able to offer more extensive classes within the department.

“It’s sad that wet photography classes are going, because I believe that if you can master this class then you can master photography,” Kennedy said. “However, even though it’s sentimental to me, closing the darkrooms would allow USM to have the funds to essentially update my classes.”

Paine agreed in saying that the positive impact that this decision will have on the budget ultimately outweighs the negatives in removing the darkrooms.

“In the end, closing the darkroom is the best decision for our budget, our facilities and our students,” Paine said. “I have no doubt that art and design students will continue to produce important, challenging and well-crafted art.”

Colin CameronPrintz Reporter

USM to close darkrooms for good

Senior Marcus Martin works in the George Hurst darkroom to fi nish up his fi nal assignments of the semester. The art department and mass communication and journalism are both closing their darkrooms after the spring semester ends.

Susan Broadbridge/Printz

See PROVOST, 3

University of Southern Mississippi Provost Denis Wiesenburg announced to the faculty that he decided to step down from his administrative position as provost and vice president of academic affairs.

Wiesenburg’s term will end on June 30, and he will return to his faculty position as professor in the Department of Marine Science. He previously served as the vice president for research for two years before becoming the interim provost and then accepting

the role of full-time provost in November 2011.

University President Rodney Bennett sent an email to the students, informing them of the decision and the changes to come.

“I have accepted Dr. Wiesenburg’s resignation and thank him for his service not only to academic affairs, but also to the university as a whole,” Bennett said. “I wish him well as he continues to contribute to our university community.”

Wiesenburg explained that former university president Martha Saunders had once compared being an academic administrator

to riding a bull in a rodeo. “You get bumped and banged,

and the goal is to hold on until the buzzer sounds,” he said. “Being a provost is a lot like that. You reach a point where the eight seconds is up and you’re ready to get off the bull and do something else.”

Wiesenburg also mentioned his excitement about the new developments in the marine science department with new expanding research and the addition of the new ship the Point Sur, which docked in Gulfport on Friday, according to WDAM.

“It was really an opportunity for me to step back and return to be

part of a group that I really enjoy being part of,” he said.

The role of the provost is often misunderstood or unknown among the students.

According to Wiesenburg, the provost has the overall responsibility for academic affairs.

“I’m the one that’s responsible to make sure that the faculty are delivering quality academic programs,” he said. “The faculty are the ones delivering the courses and the programs so that the students can get an education that they will use for a lifetime.”

Some of Wiesenburg’s

Lindsey Kelley Printz Reporter

ON CAMPUSProvost Wiesenburg comments on resignation

Courtesy Photo of Denis Wiesenburg

INFORMATIONPage 2 | Monday, April 27, 2015

MEET THE STAFFOF SPRING 2015

EDITORS & STAFFEditorial PolicyThe views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not necessarily represent those of the faculty, staff, or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submissions must include name, class distinction, major, phone number, and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@gmail.com by 5 p.m. Friday. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space, or journalistic ethics.

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Courtesy ofkrazydad.com

This week the Dale Center for Study of War and Society at The University of Southern Mississippi will host two events in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.

The week’s events will begin with a free screening of the award-nominated documentary “Last Days in Vietnam.” The documentary will be shown on Tuesday, April 28, at 5 p.m. in the Liberal Arts Building’s Gonzalez Auditorium. The screening will also feature opening remarks and a question-and-answer session with Vietnam historians and Dale Center fellows professors Andrew Wiest and Heather Stur.

The documentary chronicles the last days of the Vietnam War after January 1973, with the signing of the peace agreement that ended the American phase of the war. It focuses on the Vietnamese Vietnam War. On April 30, 1975, Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese.

“This documentary chronicles that tragic event and what came after,” Wiest said. “ Amid the chaos of the fall of the Republic of Vietnam there was a great mass exodus of South Vietnamese from their homeland. Fleeing with nothing as their country crumbled, many perished, while others (perhaps a million or more) survived to begin life anew in countries across the globe, with a great many emigrating to the U.S.”

The second of the two events will be a conference called “A Forty Year Journey: The Rise of Vietnamese-Americans Conference.” The

conference will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Panda King Restaurant in Gretna, Louisiana. on Thursday April, 30, which marks the offi cial 40th anniversary of the fall of Saigon. Stur and Wiest have been working with the large Vietnamese community in New Orleans since December to plan this conference.

Wiest will be the keynote speaker for the event and two panel discussions, one of which will feature Stur. The panel discussions will also include Vietnamese military veterans who were involved with the evacuation of South Vietnam and others who fl ed Vietnam 40 years ago.The conference is meant to help tell the stories from the perspectives of the South Vietnamese who fl ed their country due to the war.

“The perspectives of Vietnamese refugees are not well known and are not usually incorporated in books and articles about the Vietnam War, and so it’s important to Dr. Wiest and I to help tell those stories,” Stur said. “In many ways, they are the forgotten stories of the Vietnam War.”

“I hope that we can use the 40th anniversary of the fall of Saigon to think about the human consequences of war as seen through the eyes of refugees, people who, because of war, have fl ed their homelands, often never to return,” he said. “The displacement of peoples is a main consequence of war in general, and in order to truly understand the consequences of the Vietnam War, we must examine the experiences of the Vietnamese who have settled in the U.S. since 1975. The current Syrian refugee crisis is a reminder of the enduring impact of war on human lives.”

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Southern Mississippi has achieved yet another scientific accomplishment. Researchers in the department are attempting to detect radiation in order to discover how air chemistry is altered due to the presence of radiation.

“These research efforts are in response to the growing concerns over radiological safety and terrorism,” said department chair Chris Winstead. “Our idea is to actually use the air itself as a means of detecting the radiation.”

The Southern Miss Department of Physics and Astronomy is exploring opportunities to cultivate broad

capabilities in laser and optical physics to enrich its educational and research activities. Funded research in the department currently supports the development of optical devices, optical materials and the application of lasers for sensitive spectroscopic measurements. Researchers hope to accomplish detection innovations that will provide more effective alternatives.

Now, however, to measure contamination threats, first responders must wear protective gear as shields against radiation. In the future, researchers hope to refine this detection method by using lasers to detect atmospheric changes from a distance. Winstead said he believes researchers are growing closer every day.

“We hope to have this technology in place so that if there were some sort of incident, we could protect the first responders who go in and have to assess the situation and protect the public from contamination,” Winstead said.

If Winstead and his research team can find accurate targets, they can take existing technology such as LIDAR (a technology used to measure distances) and measure radiation from much farther away than what is currently possible.

“By the end of this leg of research, we’ll be able to show quantitative measurements over a number of chemical products from the radiation source in our vacuum chamber here,” said Tyler Reese, a graduate researcher.

NEWS Monday, April 27, 2015 | Page 3

ON CAMPUS ON CAMPUSDale Center honors 40 years since Vietnam

Research to aid fi rst responders

Chris LeePrintz Reporter

Nan ButiPrintz Reporter

The Weather Channel will feature a special documentary Monday at 8 p.m., a documentary that focuses on the tornado that hit Hattiesburg Feb. 10, 2013.

The National Weather Service Offi ce reported the tornado started along Highway 589 and moved through heavily populated areas of Oak Grove and west Hattiesburg. It then traveled through Petal before fi nally dissipating in Perry County.

The National Weather Service Offi ce classifi ed it as an EF-4, with winds up to 170 mph, that traveled 21 miles. No one died in the tornado but 82 people were injured.

The Weather Channel’s newest feature will be a part of their new series called “Tornado Alley.” The Hattiesburg American reported that producer of the feature Kim Kanther requested video from locals of the tornado.

“Seven seconds to seven minutes, I don’t care where you

were,” Kanther said. “I don’t care what it sounds like. People can have 17 seconds of mediocre footage and a crazy story, or they can have 20 minutes of footage and not have a

compelling story.” Producer Nicole Millikan said they

were looking for all kinds of video footage. Millikan said, “Surveillance, dash-cam, home footage. Then, we

put this footage with the voices, and we get a good representation of the community telling their stories.”

Kanther said that the one-hour series will keep people on the edge

of their seats. “It’s different and so fortunate for an EF-4 to go through a populated area and have no one die. That was actually a good story angle for us,” Kanther said.

WDAM reported that victims of the tornado as well as fi rst responders and media will be featured. “We’re looking for extraordinary stories of survival, and then we talk about the science behind how crazy the survival was. A lot of people we interview for that show it’s a miracle they’ve survived,” Millikan said.

She said it was inspirational whether you see one survival story or a million.

“I think the story telling in this one was unique in that we were able to give great news at the end as opposed to tragic numbers that no one wants to hear,” Kanther said.

WDAM said that show producers warn about show times may be preempted in case the Weather Channel has to cover severe weather during scheduled times.

The special will also re-air Monday, May 4, at 9 p.m.

NATIONALWeather Channel features ‘Burg in tornado series

Andrew DuttonPrintz Reporter

Some of Wiesenburg’s accomplishments as provost include the creation of Mississippi’s first Center for Undergraduate Research, development of a Student Success Initiative to advance student retention and success and the establishment of faculty-facilitated teaching forums.

He was particularly passionate about the teaching forums, which are a series of faculty-led programs that allow professors to exchange ideas and techniques for more effective education.

“The interaction between

faculty in the audience is really rewarding, heartwarming even,” he said. “We see the faculty who know best practices sharing with other faculty, which makes us a better institution.”

After June, Wiesenburg looks forward to having a short, six-week break for the first time since his time in graduate school before beginning the next fall as a professor.

“I’m going to do a lot of gardening,” he said. “We have a great backyard that I haven’t had time to work on.”

The search for the new provost has begun, with Bennett announcing his intention to conduct a nation-wide search through an executive

search firm. “My goal is to have a new

provost on campus when we return from the holidays in January, and I am planning to appoint a member of the university community to serve in this capacity on an interim basis beginning July 1,” Bennett said in his letter to the students.

Upon his departure, Wiesenburg wanted the student body to know of his support for the students.

“I hope the students have felt that we put them first in the past three years,” Wiesenburg said. “My interest has always been in trying to make sure that we took care of the students inside and outside of the classroom.”

continuedPROVOST

The Weather Channel will feature the Feb. 10, 2013, Hattiesburg tornado in a documentary Monday at 8 p.m.Courtesy Photo by Kelly Dunn

FEATUREPage 4 | Monday, April 27, 2015

Every four years, America goes through the process of electing a new head of state to run the country. Along with this process comes the profi ling of potential candidates as the world becomes familiar with their national campaigns and party affi liation.

While America has become familiar with this routine, we have yet to experience a gender change in the position, as only males have been elected. One candidate eager to change this dynamic and become the fi rst female president is Hillary Clinton.

Hillary Clinton, a former secretary of state, is running for presidential nomination for the Democratic Party in the 2016 presidential election.

“Everyday Americans need a champion. I want to be that champion,” said Clinton in her announcement video on her offi cial campaign website.

Clinton fi rst introduced herself to the world as fi rst lady to the 1992-1996 president, Bill Clinton. As fi rst lady, Clinton worked side-by side-with her husband to implement reforms such as health care programs and women’s rights.

Clinton also served as the fi rst female senator of New York, fi rst lady of Arkansas and a practicing lawyer and law professor. She also

ran for president in the 2008 election but came up short to Democratic nominee, Barack Obama.

The possibility has sparked debate not only around the country but also with various students at Southern Miss.

“I’m wondering what policies she’s looking to implement and how much will actually be changed,” said Ajanaee Tolliver, a sophomore psychology major. “Will people vote for her because she’s a woman or because she has experience by being the First Lady? Her husband’s presidency will be thrown in her face at all costs,” Tolliver said. “I’m interested in seeing how she handles these remarks.”

One student looking at things from a double-sided perspective is Jarvis Davis, a sophomore criminal justice major.

“I agree as far as timing, considering we’ve just had the fi rst black male president,” Davis said. “It shows America is evolving despite recent threats of racism. However, would a woman be able to handle the emotional aspect of being president?”

Davis went on to explain that his inquiry has nothing to do with underestimating women but merely statistics that have shown that men handle stress better.

Clinton’s main goal is to provide families with resources so that they

will not only be able to get ahead in the economy, but also have a stable footing in the world. Her idea is “when families are strong,

America is strong.” As the third week of her candidacy

continues, Clinton will continue to make appearances on the campaign

trail as she has already toured Iowa. For more information on Clinton

and to keep up with her campaign, visit www.hillaryclinton.com.

POLITICS

Students voice opinions of Clinton campaign

Sydne’ AutryPrintz Reporter

Courtesy Photo

FEATURE Monday, April 27, 2015 | Page 5

HEALTH

Recently an unexpected issue has come up on college campuses around the U.S., an issue that presents ethical questions that even Socrates likely never contemplated.

This issue is the growing use of legal drugs which claim to enhance students’ ability to focus and retain information when studying for tests or exams. Drugs like NeuroFuse purport to dramatically increase users’ focus, concentration, retention and energy as well as claim to be completely safe and legal as well. A study published

in the Journal of Phytomedicine claimed that Rhodeola Rhosea, a plant that forms one of the ingredients in NeuroFuse, has been scientifi cally proven to improve test scores as high as 8 percent when taking during study sessions leading up to taking the exam.

NeuroFuse, originally developed by roommates at Harvard University, is likely the most prominent of these new drugs. Taken in a powder form much like whey protein supplements, it has proven to be particularly attractive to college students, to whom they offer a signifi cant discount for on the website. It offers a 30-day

back full refund guarantee if users are not satisfi ed, and is accessed “over-the-counter” via its website.

As far as safety, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate dietary supplements. However, according to the website, all of the ingredients in NeuroFuse are certifi ed for use in supplements by the FDA. According to the website, the “manufacturing facility has stringent quality and safety standards and it is a certifi ed GMP facility that routinely undergoes FDA screenings.”

Safety concerns do not seem to be extremely worrisome then, but the ethical implications have been a little trickier. Questions

have been raised about if the use of these drugs constitutes cheating in universities. So far no rulings have been given out by any school, but the increasing popularity of these types of “smart drugs,” or “cognitive enhancers” as they are called in the pharmaceutical industry, has many school administrators concerned.

Students at The University of Southern Mississippi did not seem terribly impressed or desirous of these types of drugs, and said that they might only seem attractive to less motivated students.

“Students who naturally have

the self-confi dence to perform well on their own merit – and not with a synthetic aid – will always outshine the lazy student,” said Celsey Shaddox, a senior political science and economics double major.

Dylan Copeland, a sophomore construction engineering technology major who was the valedictorian of his high school, agreed. “I’ve heard people say that (smart drugs) help them, but I don’t think they’re necessary.”

Only time will tell if the use of these drugs is just a passing fad or if they are something that will require more regulation as they develop in popularity.

Some consider ‘smart drugs’ safe, unethicalJ.D. RimannPrintz Reporter

NEUROFUSEInformation

Source: Neurofuse.com

Neurofuse can safely support your brain in a number of di�erent ways — by increasing important "learning" neurotransmitters, improving bloodflow and boosting energy so you feel youthful and sharp.

Some of the ingredients in Neurofuse are scientifically proven to improve your memory — enabling you to recall more information more accurately with more clarity.

Life is better when you can stay focused and pay attention. The blend includes several ingredients demonstrated to help you concentrate and perform better on a variety of mental tasks.

Neurofuse boosts mental and physical energy with ingredients such as Ca�eine, Rhodiola Rosea, DMAE and Vitamin B6 & 12 that work synergistically to help you fight fatigue and stay alert.

In addition to boosting energy levels, Neurofuse also contains ingredients suggested to improve overall feelings of well-being while reducing stress/anxiety to help you feel your best.

OPINIONPage 6 | Monday, April 27, 2015

What ever happened to predictability? The milkman, the paperboy, evening TV? You miss your old familiar friends, but waiting just around the bend, they’re on Netfl ix.

We’ve been trying to bring the 1990s back for the past few years now. First, fl eece shirts made their return, then “Girl Meets World” premiered on Disney Channel, and now there’s a sequel to “Full House.”

News that Netfl ix is reviving “Full House” caused my Facebook newsfeed to nearly explode with happy statuses from my dear millennial friends.

Who could blame them? I am excited to see the Tanners back in action, especially Uncle Jesse, my childhood crush. While nothing is confi rmed, discussions are still ongoing regarding if Bob Saget, Dave Coulier, Lori Loughlin and the Olsen twins will reprise their roles, although it’s obvious that both twins will no longer be able to portray Michelle Tanner due to Mary-Kate’s plastic surgery. Perhaps that was why the Olsens were the last to be informed of the series. All I can say is, “How rude.”

Either way, I hope Michelle is a part of the spin-off. She was usually the one to put everyone in their place, and it just wouldn’t be the same without hearing, “You got it, dude.”

I’ll admit that, at fi rst, I was skeptical. I’m not a major fan of reimaginings. “Full House” was one of my favorite shows

as a child and I don’t want the sequel to ruin a good thing. I keep imagining the revival in the same house, with the same furniture and the same dog, but things will be much different. It’s hard to imagine everything changing.

The title, “Fuller House,” implies that the entire family still lives in the house, plus some. However, reports imply that it’s just the girls and their kids.

The plot is similar to the original. D.J. Tanner is a pregnant widow raising two boys with the help of her aspiring musician sister Stephanie and her lifelong friend Kimmy Gibbler, just as her father Danny was widowed and raised his three daughters with the help of his musician brother Jesse and his best friend Joey.

It’s going to be exciting watching Stephanie and Kimmy, who were arch enemies in “Full House,” have to live under the same roof. I also like that D.J. has sons inste ad of daughters. It’s a fun twist on the original.

I’m excited to see if Uncle Jesse ever made his big break as a musician, and what happened to his adorable twins. Is Joey a world-renowned comedian? Did Danny ever get remarried? I hope the new series answers everything. The pilot episode will be a reunion for the characters, so hopefully we will be caught up afterward.

Reports say that “Fuller House” will be the same as “Full House,” just with a modern twist, whatever that means. As long as none of the actors are replaced and it’s just as cheesy as it was 20 years ago, my heart will be content.

A new federal lawsuit has been filed pertaining to the practice of lethal injection of death row inmates.

The Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice Center in New Orleans filed the lawsuit late last week. According to The Clarion-Ledger, the lawsuit states Mississippi is one of the last remaining states to use the compound called pentobarbital before injecting a death row inmate with a paralytic agent and potassium chloride.

Attorney Jim Craig said, “If the compounded pentobarbital does not work to properly anesthetize the prisoner, he will be consciously suffocated to death by the second drug or suffer the burning injection and cardiac arrest produced by the third drug.”

The lawsuit asks that

Mississippi be prohibited from using the last two drugs in the injection process.

Of course this could be a serious problem as far as ethical executions go. Whether having broken the law or not, a prisoner in the United States is still a citizen who has the same rights as any other law-abiding citizen.

This isn’t the first time this problem has come up nationally. The Los Angeles Times reported last summer of an Oklahoma inmate who took 43 minutes to die from the injection. This problem has become apparent in recent years and it’s hard to understand why.

What isn’t hard to understand is that our practice of executing prisoners by lethal injection has become unnecessarily barbaric. If you are going to execute someone, then you should make it quick and not make the victim suffer in agonizing pain.

The Death Penalty Information Center lists Mississippi as one of 14 states that uses the anesthesia pentobarbital in its execution. The fear is, of course, whether the drug coming from compounding pharmacies in Mississippi won’t actually work and the prisoner will be made to suffer.

Honestly, this lawsuit is the right call. People often forget because they are out of our lives so often, but prisoners have lives too. Each prisoner has a family outside of his or her cell that cares about him or her, even someone on death row.

Torture is illegal here in the U.S. This form of executing prisoners has become a form of torture. With so many stories concerning inmates taking 40 minutes to die and if we really have to kill certain inmates, then perhaps we should think of other ways of execution.

TV

NATIONAL

Fans wary of Netfl ix’s ‘Full House’ spinoff

Time for lethal injection to end

Karyn LewisPrintz Reporter

Andrew DuttonPrintz Reporter

Courtesy Photo

Southern Miss failed to earn a victory in its three-game road series against the University of Alabama at Birmingham, losing Saturday’s doubleheader and the fi nal game on Sunday.

Southern Miss (18-31, 3-18) sits in last place in the Conference USA West division, failing to carry over the momentum from upsetting South Alabama.

In game one, neither team scored in the fi rst inning but the Lady Eagles jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second.

Mallory Hayden got it started with a single up the middle. Hayden then advanced to third on a Selena Estrada double to right center fi eld before coming home on a Michelle Stringer RBI single to give the Lady Eagles their fi rst run of the day.

Shelbee Rodgers helped the Lady Eagles add onto the lead with an infi eld RBI single, scoring Estrada.

The early cushion did not last long as the Blazers’ bats were warm in the bottom of the second. With two outs, the Lady Eagles gave up a single to Heather Pearson and a walk, allowing the Blazers to put runners in scoring position. Amy Dennis followed with an RBI double,

cutting the defi cit to just one.The Blazers tied the game in the

bottom of the third with a sacrifi ce bunt before putting the game away in the fi fth and winning 3-2.

In game two, the Blazers used strong innings in the fourth and sixth to defeat the Lady Eagles, 8-2.

Southern Miss took the early lead in the top of the fi rst with Samantha Reynolds getting things going with a single to center fi eld. Arielle Pollock blasted a single down the right fi eld line, allowing Reynolds and Pollock to score and giving the Lady Eagles a 2-0 lead.

After back-to-back bunts, UAB’s Sarah Beth Williamson hit an RBI double to left fi eld, shrinking the USM lead. The Blazers then tied the game on a fi elding error by USM.

The Lady Eagle offense laid dormant for the rest of the game. UAB added a run in the bottom of the third and taking the 3-2 lead.

A 45-minute rain delay in the game ensued before the Blazers took control, scoring two runs in the fourth and three runs in the sixth to get the 8-2 victory.

On Sunday, the Lady Eagles used strong pitching and defense to keep the game close, but it was not enough as UAB defeated Southern Miss 5-2 in the series fi nale.

It was the Blazers who jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the fi rst

inning before Southern Miss stood tall defensively behind the pitching of Shelbee Rodgers, who threw four straight shutout innings to limit the Blazers from adding any insurance runs until the sixth inning.

Southern Miss came alive offensively in the top of the fi fth when Sarah Evans hit an infi eld single followed by Reynolds reaching on a fi elder’s choice. A Blazer error allowed Kaelyn Christofferson to score, giving the Lady Eagles its fi rst run of the game.

Cleary then singled through the right side of the infi eld, but Reynolds was thrown out on a play at the plate. Morgan McKeever then walked, advancing Rodgers to second, who came in to pinch-run for Cleary, putting a runner in scoring position.

Estrada delivered and blasted an RBI double to left center fi eld, allowing Rodgers to score and cutting the defi cit to 3-2.

Despite a strong fi fth inning and stellar pitching from Rodgers, the Blazers added two additional runs in the sixth, giving them the series sweep over the Lady Eagles. Southern Miss fi nished the afternoon with fi ve hits and two doubles.

The Lady Eagles will end the season on Saturday in a three-game home series against Florida Atlantic at the USM Softball Complex.

Southern Miss tallied a season-best 10 fi rst place fi nishes Saturday in the Southern Miss Invitational.

Before the running events got started, Southern Miss already had fi rst, second and third place fi nishes. Rachel Polk, Kayla Taylor and Brashe Wood fi nished in the top three of the women’s shot

put for USM, sweeping the fi eld. Polk’s best throw went 14.59m, good enough for a fi rst place fi nish. Taylor’s best throw went for 13.53m for second place and Wood came in third with 12.76m.

Polk was not fi nished collecting fi rst place medals, fi nishing in fi rst in discus as well with a throw of 49.94m. Taylor again fi nished behind teammate Polk for a second place fi nish, throwing 49.55m. Wood fi nished in fi fth

place with a throw of 39.74m.The Lady Eagles continued

to dominate the invitational by winning the women’s 4x100 relay. LaSpencia Brown, Jazmyne Gilliam, Adriana Allen and Mariam Kromah combined to fi nish with a time of 45.41 seconds to give Southern Miss its third event champion of the day.

Allen, Kromah, Gilliam and Talia Thompson took home another fi rst place fi nish in the 4x400 meter relay. The Lady Eagles fi nished four seconds in front of second place fi nisher Kennesaw State with a time of 3:52.90.

Kristin Zarrella picked up a fi rst place metal as well, fi nishing two seconds ahead of second place fi nisher, Andzelika Bobrova, with a time of two minutes and 15 seconds in the 800 meter dash. Her best lap took one minute and fi ve seconds.

Allen was not fi nished racking up fi rst place fi nishes. Allen fi nished fi rst in all three of the events she competed in. She earned her third event championship of the day in the 400 meter dash with a time of 54.55 seconds.

For the men, Robert Wells fi nished third in the 100 meter dash and took the top spot in the 200 meter with times of 10.89 and 21.66 seconds, respectively. Cory Miller fi nished third for the Golden

Eagles in the event, running it in 21.88 seconds.

In the 400 meter dash, Elbert Rogers and Derrick Johnson fi nished fi rst and second with times of 46.73 seconds and 47.93 seconds, respectively. The combination of Johnson, Miller, Wells and Jamad Smith put on a show for the rest of the teams in the invitational. The four Golden Eagles fi nished in 40.37 seconds in the 4x100 meter relay to win the event with the second place fi nisher just two-tenths of a second behind with a time of 40.57.

The men’s team pulled out a nail biter in the 4x400 relay as Johnson, Miller, Rogers and Wells came out on top. Nearing the end of the race, Southern Miss was down when Wells passed up Alex Saunders in the last stretch for the victory. Southern Miss fi nished with a time of 3:13.59

while Southern University at New Orleans came in second at 3:14.15 for the closest contest of the day for the Golden Eagles.

Southern Miss was not able to get a fi rst place fi nisher in the jumping events, but still performed well. High jumper Courtland Wells came in second fi nishing one inch out of fi rst place with a jump of 2.06m just behind Seth Peace of Mississippi State, who jumped 2.14m.

Chad Cook came up just short as he fi nished second in the long jump, jumping 6.86m. Solomon Atosona from Stillman University came in fi rst with a jump of 6.87m. Jamar Sims fi nished third for the Golden Eagles, jumping 6.85m.

Southern Miss returns to action May 2, when Mississippi State hosts the Jace LaCoste Invitational in Starkville, Mississippi.

Lady Eagles swept by UAB

USM brings home 10 fi rst place fi nishes

SPORTS Monday, April 27, 2015 | Page 7

SOFTBALL

TRACK & FIELD

Wilton JacksonSports Reporter

James JohnsonSports Reporter

Cory Miller runs the third leg in the Men’s 4x200m Relay at the John Mitchell Alabama Relays in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Southern Miss Men’s 4x200m team fi nishes second overall with a time of 1:24.83, which is a school record.

Courtland Wells/Courtesy Photo

Despite outstanding offensive production throughout the weekend series against conference foe UTSA, Southern Miss could not overcome the equally deadly Roadrunner lineup.

After the Southern Miss lineup only managed two runs in the first game against UTSA, losing 7-2, the offense came alive for the Golden Eagles in the final two games of the series. The series was expected to last the weekend, but due to a rain delay, the games were scheduled to be played on Saturday and Sunday.

That would not stop the Golden Eagles, who had three long balls in both games on Saturday, tying a season high. Both bullpens struggled to withstand either lineup. The Golden Eagles bullpen ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA before the series, but struggled mightily.

The Golden Eagles lost the deciding game two Saturday, 11-7 as USM starter Cody Carroll simply did not have control over any of his pitches against the Roadrunners.

He gave up eight runs on seven hits with four walks over 4.1 innings pitched. Carroll left his fastball up in the zone one too many times over the first four

innings and the Roadrunners took advantage.

After USM took the early 2-0 lead with a two-run home run by Chase Scott, the Roadrunners bounced back with four runs in the second. Carroll started the inning off strong with two outs, but a double by UTSA and a pair

of walks loaded the bases.J.T. Gilmore then hit his first

home run of the year, a grand slam to give UTSA the lead. USM retook the lead after a three-run fourth inning, but it would be for naught as the Roadrunners added a run in the sixth and two more in the

seventh to seal it.Facing the dreaded sweep,

the Golden Eagles bounced back in the series finale and defeated UTSA with another three-homer performance. Tim Lynch had an outstanding series and it continued on Sunday as he had three hits that drove in

three runs.The Golden Eagles got the

scoring started in the top of the fourth with an RBI single from Lynch. UTSA battled back on the strength of a three-run home run by Trent Bowles after a couple of base hits.

It was USM starter James McMahon’s fourth home run he has given up this season; however, he remained in the game and the three runs in that inning were the only runs he gave up. McMahon usually settles in after a few innings and that remained true Sunday as he became dominant with his control and fastball.

McMahon got the win and improved his record to 8-1. The Golden Eagles took the lead for good in the top of the sixth with Taylor Braley smashing a two-run home run to left-center. Austin Roussel notched an RBI single to finish off the scoring burst.

USM did a great job by taking several pitches and running the Roadrunners pitchers’ counts high and got deep into their bullpen, which is not one of their strong suits. The Golden Eagles took advantage and UTSA used four pitchers in the game.

USM scored much-needed insurance runs in the eighth. They got five from contributions by Lynch, who hit another home run for USM and Connor Barron, who also hit a home run.

The Golden Eagles will look to keep their bats hot when they face Alabama for a 6:30 p.m. contest at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama, Tuesday night.

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USM powerful offense not enough in series loss to UTSA

Page 8 | Monday, April 27, 2015

Junior Chase Scott hits a home run April 18 before the rain delay against Florida Atlantic at Pete Taylor Park. Susan Broadbridge/Printz

Southern Miss junior Nick Dawson bats during the Florida Atlantic series at The Pete last weekend. The Golden Eagles play against UTSA this weekend, winning the last game and losing the fi rst two. Susan Broadbridge/Printz Archives

Jacob KempSports Reporter