UNO's Cryer ends stellar career with loss

• By WILLIAM WEATHERS
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Jun 2, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Bryan Cryer could sense the finality setting in.

Moments after Southern Mississippi’s Kyle Maxie extended the Eagles’ lead back to six runs in the top of the eighth, University of New Orleans coach Tom Walter walked from his dugout to take out Cryer, his senior right-hander, for the last time in his collegiate career.

Cryer, a graduate of Live Oak High, talked with Walter while flipping a baseball into the air until reliever Ryan O’Shea made his way from the bullpen. He handed over the ball to O’Shea and received a warm greeting on his way to the dugout from his teammates who formed a receiving line of sorts — some exchanging handshakes and others brief hugs.

It was a show of reverence for Cryer who worked himself from unknown walk-on four years ago to the school’s career strikeout leader and the Sun Belt Conference’s pitcher of the year this season. An inning later after Southern Mississippi put the finishing touches on an 8-2 victory Sunday to eliminate third-seeded New Orleans (43-21) from the NCAA regional, it also signified the end for Cryer who remains uncertain about his playing career beyond college.

“It didn’t really sink in until we lost,” Cryer said. “I didn’t give up on the guys and I feel they didn’t give up on me.”

If this was indeed the finale for Cryer, it was less than a memorable exit for the 5-foot-10 right-hander who left trailing by the final score — surrendering 12 hits and a season-high run total, including three home runs.

“I was definitely looking forward to pitching in this regional,” Cryer said, “and to come out and do this is kind of upsetting.”

Southern Mississippi scored its first seven runs off three homers through four innings and starter Josh Billeaud, a graduate of Carencro High and signee from LSU-Eunice, silenced UNO’s bats to the tune of one run and a hit through six innings. Billeaud (4-4) worked seven innings, leaving with a 7-2 lead after Jeff Lanning’s solo homer in the bottom of the seventh. He walked three and struck out seven.

“It finally feels good to come out and get a chance to win,” said Billeaud, who entered the game with a 7.39 earned run average. “The last couple of outings haven’t been what I wanted them to be, so it felt good to get out there and put our team in a situation to win.”

Cryer encountered his first bout of trouble in the second inning, but not without a bit of controversy.

USM got runners on with a pair of singles around a strikeout and catcher Keith Winstead found himself in an 0-2 hole. He came back and sent a shot toward left field that carried over the fence but was ruled foul.

USM coach Corky Palmer came out to dispute the ruling and asked third base umpire Greg Charles, who made the initial call, to confer with crew chief Joe Burleson at first base. After a brief meeting near the mound, Charles emerged and reversed his ruling — giving Winstead a three-run homer and USM a 3-1 lead.

“When I talked to the third base umpire and he said it was tight,” Palmer said. “I asked if we could get help and he looked at me like we could get help. I didn’t know what was going to happen. They always say get the call right. That’s what the umpires tell me. They want to get it right and they felt they needed to go check. It’s worked for me, it’s worked against me before.”