USM baseball rallies from 5-run deficit to swamp Cajuns, sweep Louisiana
From the University of Southern Mississippi Sports Information Department
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - The University of Southern Mississippi wasn’t about to let anything as tedious as a five-run deficit stand in its way of going out a winner Sunday afternoon in 2025’s final regular-season game at Pete Taylor Park.
With the help of four home runs and some stout relief pitching, the 21st-ranked Golden Eagles erased an early 5-0 deficit and went on to top the University of Louisiana, 9-6, and sweep the best-of-three, Sun Belt Conference series.
USM (38-13, 21-6 Sun Belt) swept its third consecutive Sun Belt series, running its conference win streak to 10 consecutive games. In the process, the Golden Eagles extended their win streak to a dozen games in a row overall.
USM wrapped up the home portion of its regular-season schedule with a 25-5 record.
The Golden Eagles conclude the regular season with a best-of-three Sun Belt showdown with No. 19 Troy University in Troy, Alabama.
The first game is set for 6 p.m. Thursday.
Joey Urban, Matthew Russo, Tucker Stockman and Nick Monistere all hit home runs, providing six of USM’s nine runs.
For Russo and Monistere, each belted two-run shots, with each hitting his 17th home run of the year. Stockman and Urban, who each hit solo homers, smacked their fifth and fourth, respectively.
And while the offense went long ball, the Golden Eagles also got a top-shelf, long stretch out of the bullpen.
USM starter Grayson Harris got tagged for five runs in the second inning, though only two were earned after a USM throwing error.
Drew Markle and Caleb Stelly each hit two-run singles in the big inning for the Ragin’ Cajuns (25-27, 15-12)
But Urban led off the bottom of the inning with a home run, and Pratt brought in another run with a double to get USM within 5-2.
Russo’s homer in the third inning got the Golden Eagles back within a run after three innings before Stockman tied the score and Monistere untied it. The two, fourth-inning homers left USM up, 7-5, after four innings.
The Cajuns crept with a run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, but USM added two runs in the sixth inning, one on a sacrifice fly of its own, the other on Russo’s single.
Meanwhile, first Kros Sivley (5-1), then Josh Och combined to go 4 1/3 innings, holding Louisiana to one run and three hits.
Sivley retired the first seven batters he saw and finished by allowing one run on two hits in 2 2/3 innings. He struck out two.
Och followed, allowing a single baserunner on a walk in 1 2/3 innings.
Landen Payne picked up his fourth save of the season, allowing two hits and striking out five over the final three innings.
Dylan Theut (1-2) took the loss, allowing five runs on five hits, including three home runs. He struck out one.
Monistere finished with three hits, including a home run and double, drove in two runs and scored twice.
Russo drove in runs with both of his hits, collecting three RBIs and scoring a run.
Both Stockman and Pratt finished with two hits apiece. Stockman scored twice and drove in a run, while having two RBIs.
USM collected 12 hits Sunday, giving the Golden Eagles 40 hits in the three-game series
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