Saturday, March 8
Pete Taylor Park
12 p.m.
Southern Miss
10-5
2
vs
1
UNCW
8-7
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4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
UNCW
0
1
0
0
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Southern Miss
0
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1
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1
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4
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Photo by: Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com
Matthew Russo Lifts Baseball to 2-1 Win over UNCW with Ninth-Inning Home Run
3/8/2025 2:59:00 PM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Matthew Russo homered to straightaway center in the bottom of the ninth to lift No. 20 Southern Miss to a 2-1 victory over UNCW Saturday afternoon at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field.
The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Golden Eagles (10-5), who evened the three-game set.
It was the second game-winning home run for Russo in his career – the other coming against Nicholls State on April 16, 2024, with a three-run shot – as the Golden Eagles enjoyed their 30th walk-off victory since the start of the 2017 season.
Kros Sivley threw seven strong innings for the Golden Eagles as he allowed a run on eight hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
The only blemish for Sivley came in the second as Trevor Lucas opened the frame with a single to right. After a strikeout and another single, Lucas went to third on a fielder's choice before scoring on a single by Martin Zelenka. He finished the game with two hits, along with Lucas and Alec DeMartino.
Sivley then gave up two singles with one out in the third before retiring the next nine Seahawk hitters and ended his outing by besting 13 of the final 15 batters he faced.
UNCW starter Connor Marshburn did not allow a hit for the first four innings, before giving up a lead off single to Nick Monistere in the fifth. Marshburn went six strong frames and did not allow a run on two hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
Baker Cox entered to open the seventh for the Seahawks (8-7) and walked the first two men he faced. After getting the lead runner on an attempted bunt, UNCW went to the bullpen again for Aubrey Smith, who immediately gave up a run-scoring single to pinch hitter Drey Barrett to tie the game, 1-1.
The game remained that way until the ninth when Russo homered off Smith for the game winner. Smith gave up a run on two hits with a pair of strikeouts to suffer the loss and fall to 0-3.
Colby Allen covered the final two innings against UNCW, giving up a hit with three strikeouts to garner the victory and improve to 2-1 on the season.
The deciding game of the series is set for 11 a.m. Sunday.
The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Golden Eagles (10-5), who evened the three-game set.
It was the second game-winning home run for Russo in his career – the other coming against Nicholls State on April 16, 2024, with a three-run shot – as the Golden Eagles enjoyed their 30th walk-off victory since the start of the 2017 season.
Kros Sivley threw seven strong innings for the Golden Eagles as he allowed a run on eight hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
The only blemish for Sivley came in the second as Trevor Lucas opened the frame with a single to right. After a strikeout and another single, Lucas went to third on a fielder's choice before scoring on a single by Martin Zelenka. He finished the game with two hits, along with Lucas and Alec DeMartino.
Sivley then gave up two singles with one out in the third before retiring the next nine Seahawk hitters and ended his outing by besting 13 of the final 15 batters he faced.
UNCW starter Connor Marshburn did not allow a hit for the first four innings, before giving up a lead off single to Nick Monistere in the fifth. Marshburn went six strong frames and did not allow a run on two hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
Baker Cox entered to open the seventh for the Seahawks (8-7) and walked the first two men he faced. After getting the lead runner on an attempted bunt, UNCW went to the bullpen again for Aubrey Smith, who immediately gave up a run-scoring single to pinch hitter Drey Barrett to tie the game, 1-1.
The game remained that way until the ninth when Russo homered off Smith for the game winner. Smith gave up a run on two hits with a pair of strikeouts to suffer the loss and fall to 0-3.
Colby Allen covered the final two innings against UNCW, giving up a hit with three strikeouts to garner the victory and improve to 2-1 on the season.
The deciding game of the series is set for 11 a.m. Sunday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Allen, Colby (2-1)
L: Aubrey Smith (0-3)
Batting:
RBI: Martin Zelenka 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Trevor Lucas 1
SB: Alec DeMartino 1
PO: Kevin Jones 1
Batting:
HR: Russo, Matthew 1
RBI: Russo, Matthew 1 ; Barrett, Drey 1
SH: Urban, Joey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Russo, Matthew 1 ; Monistere, Nick 1
SB: Monistere, Nick 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
ph/3b
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
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LHP
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