Southern Miss Baseball Opens 98th Season Against UC Santa Barbara
HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Southern Miss baseball begins its 98th season Friday with a three-game series against UC Santa Barbara at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field. The opening game is scheduled for 4 p.m., followed by contests at noon Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
All three games will be streamed on ESPN+ and broadcast on an affiliate of the Southern Miss Sports Network, according to university athletics officials. The Golden Eagles finished last season with a 47-16 record and hosted their fourth NCAA tournament regional. They have won their last 11 season openers, all at home, and are starting the season at Pete Taylor Park for the 12th consecutive year.
UC Santa Barbara, which posted a 36-18 record last season, is picked to win the Big West Conference in 2026. This series marks the first meeting between the two programs and the first time a school from California has visited Southern Miss since Saint Mary’s College in 2010.
The opening game will feature a highly anticipated pitching matchup, with All-Americans Jackson Flora of UC Santa Barbara and Colby Allen of Southern Miss on the mound. Flora, a junior right-hander, posted a 6-3 record with a 3.60 ERA in 2025. Allen also had a strong season with a 7-4 record and a 3.63 ERA.
Southern Miss returns six starters from last year’s lineup, including senior center fielder Joey Urban (.333 average, 9 home runs, 27 RBIs), catcher Tucker Stockman (.332, 6 HR, 33 RBIs), and right fielder Ben Higdon (.323, 7 HR, 22 RBIs). The team also features Matthew Russo at first base (.290, 18 HR, 57 RBIs), Drey Barrett at third (.254, 9 HR, 30 RBIs), and Davis Gillespie in left field (.242, 8 HR, 30 RBIs).
The season features several promotions, including baseball card giveaways after Sunday games, Kids Running the Bases, and a 50/50 raffle at all home contests. Fans will also receive opening day koozies on Friday.
Following the series against UC Santa Barbara, Southern Miss will travel for a Tuesday night game against Southeastern Louisiana, scheduled for 6 p.m.
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