The University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles are set to host the NCAA Hattiesburg Regional at Pete Taylor Park this weekend.
After winning their third consecutive Sun Belt Conference championship, Southern Miss hopes to make a splash in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. The Hattiesburg Regional begins Friday, May 29, with a game against the Little Rock Trojans at Pete Taylor Park.
The Golden Eagles enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed in the Hattiesburg Regional and the No. 9-ranked team in the nation. Southern Miss finished the regular season with a 44-15 overall record and a 22-8 mark in conference play. The team also went 4-1 in the Sun Belt Championship.
Second baseman Kyle Morrison and designated hitter Drey Barrett led the Golden Eagles during their first three Sun Belt Championship games, while Joey Urban stepped up in the final two contests to help Southern Miss advance to the NCAA Regional.
Little Rock enters the matchup as one of the statistical leaders in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Trojans rank first in total hits with 621 and second in earned run average at 5.03. They also lead the conference in fielding chances and putouts.
However, the Trojans’ offensive production is more concentrated among a few players. Of Little Rock’s top five hitters, only Kade Smith has recorded more than 70 hits this season. In comparison, Southern Miss has four players with more than 70 hits, while Seth Smith ranks fifth on the team with 65 hits.
Although the Trojans lead the conference in total hits, they rank fifth in batting average at .289. Southern Miss owns a similar batting average at .287 while holding opponents to a .244 average.
While Little Rock has compiled strong cumulative statistics throughout the season, Southern Miss has produced stronger game-by-game averages. If the Golden Eagles maintain their regular-season performance during regional play, they will have a strong opportunity to win Friday’s matchup.
The winner of Friday’s game will face the winner of the matchup between Virginia and Jacksonville State. The losing teams will play in an elimination game for another chance to advance.
For the full NCAA Championship schedule and bracket, visit SouthernMiss.com.
