Gillespie’s Homer lifts Southern Miss over South Alabama 4-3 in Mobile

Mobile, Ala. — Davis Gillespie’s two-run homer in the seventh inning propelled No. 18 Southern Miss to a 4-3 victory over South Alabama on Friday night at Eddie Stanky Field. The Golden Eagles extended their winning streak to five games and reached 30 wins for the 24th consecutive season, the longest current streak in Division I baseball, according to team officials.

Gillespie’s blast came with one out and the game tied at 2-2, after Joey Urban drew a walk and Jaxon Shineflew’s pitch. The homer, his 11th of the year, cleared the left-center fence and provided the winning margin.

Southern Miss starter Grayden Harris limited the Jaguars to two runs on three hits over 5 2/3 innings. Harris left with two runners on base in the sixth, but reliever Josh Och escaped the jam and earned his fourth win of the season. Colby Allen pitched the final three innings, allowing one run on four hits, to earn his first save of the year and the 20th of his career, tying him for fifth all-time at Southern Miss.

The Golden Eagles took an early lead with a solo home run by Gillespie in the third. They added another run in the seventh to tie the game at 2-2, after Matthew Russo doubled and scored on a groundout. South Alabama regained the lead in the ninth on a groundout by Brennon Wright after Ethan Melton tripled with one out.

South Alabama’s Jaxon Shineflew suffered the loss, falling to 4-2 after allowing two runs on four hits over 2 1/3 innings. The series continues Saturday with a game scheduled for 1 p.m., moved up an hour due to weather concerns.

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