Drey Barrett’s Ninth-Inning Grand Slam Sends Southern Miss Past Troy in Sun Belt Championship

Montgomery, Ala. — Drey Barrett delivered a dramatic ninth-inning, two-out, 0-2 grand slam to lift top-seeded Southern Miss to a 7-6 walk-off win over Troy on Friday night at DABOS Park.

The Golden Eagles improved to 42-14 and extended their winning streak to 11 games. They also secured their eighth walk-off victory of the season and improved to 13-2 all-time in the Sun Belt Tournament. The team has won its first two games in each of the four tournaments played in Montgomery.

Barrett led the offense with three hits, including two home runs, and six RBIs, a career high. Down 6-2 in the ninth, Southern Miss mounted a comeback, beginning with singles from Seth Smith and Joey Urban. After two walks, including one to Davis Gillespie, a run scored to cut the deficit. Matthew Russo struck out but Barrett then launched a 422-foot shot over the left-field train to end the game.

Cooper Ellingworth, who threw to two batters in the ninth, took the loss, falling to 1-4. Relief pitchers Kros Sivley, JW Armistead, Teague Broadhead, and Josh Och combined to limit Troy to two runs over the final five innings. Och pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his sixth win of the season.

Troy took an early lead with a home run from Houston Markham in the second inning. The Trojans added three runs in the fifth, chasing starter Camden Clark. Clark allowed four runs in four-plus innings, with four strikeouts and four walks. Troy’s final run came on a double steal in the eighth, with Markham stealing home.

The game, originally scheduled for 11 a.m., was delayed over eight hours due to weather. The teams will continue the tournament in Montgomery with Southern Miss seeking its first Sun Belt title since joining the league.

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