The Southern Miss Golden Eagles entered their NCAA regional opener with high hopes, but a late rally by the Little Rock Trojans turned the tide, falling 7‑4.
Southern Miss seized a 4‑3 lead in the bottom of the eighth when Davis Gillespie launched a solo home run, sparking excitement among the fans.
All‑Sun Belt pitcher Colby Allen, who had been dominant earlier, surrendered four runs in the top of the ninth, allowing the Trojans to take the lead.
A Late‑Inning Turnaround
Kyle Morrison had earlier tied the game with a solo homer in the third, while Joey Urban’s two‑run blast ricocheted off the center‑field light pole, adding momentum.
Ty Rhoades drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Angel Cano’s RBI groundout briefly tied the game at 3‑3 in the eighth.
But it was Blake Simpson’s two‑run homer that capped the rally, lifting the No. 4 seed Trojans past the top‑seeded Golden Eagles.
Southern Miss head coach Christian Ostrander expressed disappointment with the result, yet he congratulated Little Rock’s Coach Chris Curry and the Trojans for their win.
The Golden Eagles now face elimination, returning to action on Saturday at 3 p.m. against the loser of the Jacksonville State versus Virginia matchup.