HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Appalachian State scored three runs in the sixth and seventh innings to hand No. 11 Southern Miss a 6-2 loss Saturday afternoon at Pete Taylor Park. The Mountaineers evened their Sun Belt Conference series with the Golden Eagles.
Southern Miss took an early lead in the first inning. Joey Urban drew a walk, advanced on a Davis Gillespie single, and scored on an RBI single by Matthew Russo. Despite loading the bases with three walks, the Golden Eagles managed only one run in the inning, as App State starter Gage Peterson limited further damage. Peterson threw 43 pitches in the first inning and finished with 4 2/3 innings pitched, allowing one run on three hits with five walks and seven strikeouts.
App State responded in the sixth inning with three runs. Riley Luft led off with a single, followed by Ethan Puig’s infield hit. Jalen Seward doubled to left field to tie the game, and Jake Mummau doubled down the right-field line to bring home two more runs. The Mountaineers added three more runs in the seventh, with Steven Smith scoring on Puig’s sacrifice fly and Kameron Miller driving in another with a single.
Southern Miss scored one more run in the bottom of the fourth on a single by Gillespie, but couldn’t rally further. The Golden Eagles finished with six hits and left 11 runners on base. Jake Beaty earned the win in relief for App State, improving to 1-0. Kros Sivley took the loss for Southern Miss, falling to 3-1 after allowing four runs in a third of an inning.
The series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m., with the final game of the three-game set.
