Southern Miss wins twice to claim third Sun Belt baseball title

The University of Southern Mississippi baseball team claimed its third Sun Belt Conference title Sunday, winning two games at DABOS Park in Montgomery, Alabama. The Golden Eagles, ranked eighth nationally, defeated Troy 6-2 in the morning and Louisiana 11-7 in the championship final.

Southern Miss, now 44-15, was led by tournament Most Outstanding Player Joey Urban, who went four-for-four with five RBIs across both games. In the morning game, the Golden Eagles broke open a tie with a four-run third inning, fueled by Urban’s three-run homer and a double from Davis Gillespie. Seth Smith and Ben Higdon each drove in two runs as Southern Miss scored in each of the first five innings and finished with 15 hits.

In the championship game, Southern Miss scored early and often, with Smith opening the scoring with a leadoff home run in the first inning. Russo’s two-run shot in the same inning helped the team build an early lead. The Golden Eagles added three runs in the second and two in the fifth, with Gillespie contributing two RBIs in the game. The team’s pitching staff, led by starter Grayden Harris and relievers including Thomas Crabtree, held Louisiana to seven runs on 15 hits.

The victory secures Southern Miss a spot in the NCAA Tournament, with site details yet to be announced. Colby Allen, Drey Barrett, Russo, and Urban made the all-tournament team. Southern Miss has now appeared in four consecutive league title games, capturing both their regular-season and tournament crowns for the first time since 2018.

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