PEARL, MS – Danny Lynch blasted a three-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to give No. 18 Southern Miss a victory over No. 7 Ole Miss, 10-7, in Pearl, MS.
The game was a tug-of-war, seeing four lead changes and 20 combined hits. It was Southern Miss’s endurance that fueled them to victory, avenging last season’s loss to the Rebels in the NCAA Regional Final.
“I felt like I [was] just continuing on from the series that we had up there in the Regional in Oxford. It was two clubs who carried it over to this game here and it was the same competitiveness out of both of them,” Head Coach Scott Berry said.
Ole Miss started the game with a three-run home run by Hayden Dunhurst to right field to give the Rebels a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
Southern Miss answered right back in the top of the third as Carson Paetow started the Eagle’s rally with a one-out double. Dustin Dickerson then hit him in with a double of his own, followed by Reece Ewing with a single to plate Dickerson.
The Golden Eagles took advantage of a Rebels error to score Ewing to tie the game in the top of the third.
“I told them, I didn’t feel like there was ever a time where we doubted we were going to win this baseball game,” Berry said. “Chemistry is a great thing. It’s believing in one another, it’s a selflessness that a team has. All eight teams that end up in Omaha, they all have chemistry [and] that is why they are there. They’re good but they understand their roles, and I think that’s a big part of this club too. We’re understanding our roles, accepting our roles and ready for the opportunities.”
Southern Miss knocked in three more runs in the next four innings to take a 6-3 lead over Ole Miss. Those runs were thanks to two RBI singles by Rodrigo Montenegro and an RBI double by Paetow.
“I just try and put the ball in play, swing hard and control what I can control and I’m glad they were hits and I got those RBI’s,” Montenegro said.
The Golden Eagles pitched six pitchers tonight with Chandler Best having the best performance by far. Best pitched three innings in which he did not give up a hit and struck out six Ole Miss batters.
“I used the environment you should in this atmosphere, so I’m just out there competing. I am not worried about anything else, but trying to execute my pitches and help the team win.” Best said.
The Rebels were not done, however. After a single and a pair of walks, the bases were loaded in the bottom of the seventh.
Peyton Chatagnier started the scoring with a sacrifice fly before Jacob Gonzalez tied the game with a two-run double and advanced to third on the throw home. Gonzalez scored on the balk issued to Dalton Rodgers to reclaim the lead 7-6.
Southern Miss responded immediately in the next inning. Ewing blasted a one-out triple to get things going for the Golden Eagles in the inning.
Christopher Sargent hit him in with a single to tie the game at seven. After Slade Wilks walked, Lynch blasted the three-run homer to give the Golden Eagles the commanding lead.
“It was awesome, I was pretty fired up. I don’t think anything was going through my head.” Lynch said.
Southern Miss earned their third-ranked victory this season and is now 3-0 against SEC opponents. They move to 20-8 and 7-2 in conference play.
They will take on the Charlotte 49ers in a conference series this weekend in Charlotte, NC.
