Box Score

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Miles Simington delivered a two-out RBI single in the top of the 13th inning to lift the University of South Alabama baseball team over Southern Miss 6-5 in 13 innings Tuesday at Pete Taylor Park.

USA (2-2) put runners at the corners with two outs following a single to right field by Landon Jordan. Simington then hit a 2-0 pitch from USM right-hander Drew Boyd back up the middle to score pinch-runner Cameron Tissue from third with the game-winning run. Left-hander Eli Copenhaver recorded the final three outs of the game for his first career save. The win marked South Alabama's sixth straight over Southern Miss dating back to 2019.

NEXT UP
South Alabama will return to action Friday when it hosts Rhode Island at 6:30 p.m. to open a three-game weekend series at Stanky Field.

GAME FACTS
- Will Turner and Erick Orbeta reached on consecutive infield singles to start the top of the third inning. A sacrifice bunt by Landon Jordan advanced both runners into scoring position. Miles Simington followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Turner with the game's first run. Charles Middleton then delivered a two-out RBI single through the right side of the infield to score Orbeta to double the South Alabama lead at 2-0. Hunter Stokes followed with a double to right-center field to put two runners in scoring position with two outs. Santi Montiel then reached on a throwing error by USM shortstop Dustin Dickerson that allowed Middleton to score for a 3-0 Jaguar advantage.
- Orbeta drew a two-out walk in the top of the fourth, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on an RBI single to right field by Jordan for a 4-0 USA lead.
- Southern Miss cut the Jaguar lead in half in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out, two-run home run to left field by Reece Ewing.
- Reid Powers reached on a two-base fielding error on a dropped fly ball by USM right fielder Slade Wilks with one out in the top of the sixth.
- Santi Montiel led off the top of the eighth with a single to center field, moved to second on a 1-3 groundout by Powers and scored on a two-out RBI single to right field by Turner for a 5-2 Jaguar lead.
- USM tied the score 5-5 in the bottom of the eighth on a one-out, three-run home run to left field by Christopher Sargent.
- Stokes led off the top of the 10th inning with a double to the right-center gap, but was left stranded to end the inning.
- Turner drew a leadoff walk in the top of the 11th, stole second with one out and advanced to third on a flyout to center field by Jordan. Simington drew a walk to put runners at the corners with two outs before USM right-hander induced an inning-ending groundout to third off the bat of Middleton to end the threat.
- Blake Johnson doubled to left field to lead off the bottom of the 12th inning, and moved pinch-runner Brady Faust to third with one out. But Jaguar right-hander Collin Brougham rolled a 4-6-3 inning-ending double play to escape the jam.
- Powers reached on an error by USM first baseman Sargent, who mishandled a throw from catcher Johnson after fielding the ball just up the first base line. Pinch-runner Cameron Tissue advanced to third on a single to right field by Jordan to put runners at the corners with two outs. Simington followed with a two-out RBI single up the middle to plate Tissue for a 6-5 Jaguar lead.

NOTES
- Turner extended his on-base streak to four games with a leadoff infield single up the middle in the top of the third.
- Middleton extended his hitting streak to four games with a two-out RBI single in the top of the second inning.
- Simington extended his hitting streak to four games with a one-out single to left field in the top of the seventh.
- Jag left-handed starter Tyler Lehrmann allowed two runs on three hits with three strikeouts and three walks in 4 1/3 innings pitched without factoring in the decision.
- Middleton recorded his second multi-hit game of the season, finishing 2-for-7 with one RBI and one run scored.
- Kasey Donaldson made his Jaguar debut in the form of a pinch-hit appearance in the top of the 12th inning.
- Diego Altamirano made his Jaguar debut when he entered defensively for Powers in the bottom of the 13th.
- Simington finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Stokes added two doubles, Montiel recorded a pair of hits and scored one run, Jordan finished with two hits and one RBI and Turner added two hits, one RBI, one run scored and one stolen base.
- Brougham (1-0) earned his first career win in one scoreless relief inning, and allowed one hit while issuing one walk.
- Jag left-hander Eli Copenhaver recorded his first career save with a scoreless 13th inning in relief of Brougham.
- Right-hander Grant Wood tossed two scoreless relief innings and struck out two and issued one walk without allowing a hit.
- Right-hander Zach Harlan tossed 1 2/3 scoreless relief innings, and allowed one hit while striking out one.
- The win marked South Alabama's sixth straight over Southern Miss.

QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On the win:
"That was two good college baseball teams going at it on a midweek – hopefully two (NCAA) postseason clubs. I am so proud of our guys. For things not to go our way last weekend, we were in some situations last weekend where we didn't execute and tonight we did. But we have some older guys and some guys who have been around the block. You can't single out one guy tonight. We were outstanding on the mound start to finish, and we played really good defense. I thought Reid Powers caught a heck of a game back there for 12 innings tonight. The game starts and stops on the mound and with defense, and our guys were tough. (Jackson) Boyd gives up the three-run home run and he has been our guy, then we pieced it together with (Zach) Harlan, (Collin) Brougham – we had some pressure situations where guys had to execute a pitch or we had to make a play behind him. If we're not as alert, well-coached and don't execute at a high level on the mound and defensively, that game goes the other way. But our guys kept fighting and we're going to go hard all the time; win or lose, we're going to go hard right until the end. And with that approach, more often than not, it works out. When you have some talent with some tough kids, with that approach it usually goes your way and tonight it did."

- On the importance of the win:
"It is important to learn how to win as a team. We had some situations last weekend where a play here or pitch there, a two-out hit – some things that winning teams do. It's early in the year and nothing has been done, but it is very important to learn how to win and important how you get back off of a tough weekend or loss. There was no hangover, they kept it separate. Last weekend was last weekend, and tonight was different and it will be compartmentalized and we'll learn from it like we did from last weekend and move on. Top to bottom it took everyone in the dugout. It was outstanding. Tyler Lehrmann was great tonight too. The game starts and stops on the mound and defensively. The difference was they (Southern Miss) made a bunch of defensive miscues tonight and we fielded it cleanly. In tight ballgames, the team that pitches and plays better defense is usually the team that wins."

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