KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The NCAA baseball selection committee almost certainly knew what it was doing when it paired Southern Miss with Tennessee in the Knoxville Regional.
The Volunteers beat the Golden Eagles in three games in last season’s Hattiesburg Super Regional, and will now meet again on Sunday (5 p.m. CT) in the regional final.
No. 2 seed Southern Miss defeated No. 3 Indiana 15-3 Sunday afternoon at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. They avenged a 10-4 loss the Hoosiers (33-26-1) handed to the Golden Eagles (43-19) on Friday.
Southern Miss, after a weather delay delayed the first pitch by 30 minutes, took advantage of 10 walks. He had 16 hits and none of his 15 runs came from a home run.
The Golden Eagles will be playing in their fifth consecutive regional final.
Southern Miss baseball takes lead against Indiana right away
The Golden Eagles wasted no time and took the lead with five runs in the first inning.
It started with Southern Miss taking a 1-0 lead two batters into the game when Ozzie Pratt doubled to score Dalton McIntyre. Slade Wilks then singled to score Pratt.
Braden Luke hit a two-out RBI double that brought Wilks home. Gabe Broadus followed with a two-run single.
Indiana starter Brayden Risedorph threw 53 pitches in the inning and was replaced by Julian Tonghini to start the second.
Colby Allen dominates Southern Miss baseball start
Sunday was Colby Allen’s second start of the season. The Southern Miss closer and Sun Belt tournament MVP scored against the Hoosiers.
He pitched seven career innings with one run allowed, four hits, two walks and eight strikeouts. Indiana’s only run against Allen came on a solo home run by Devin Taylor in the fifth inning.
Taylor’s home run is the only earned run Allen (10-2, 3.58 ERA) has allowed in the last 17⅓ innings.
Southern Miss has only used five pitchers in three regional games.
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Southern Miss baseball offense by the numbers vs. Indiana
Each Golden Eagle reached base at least twice in the first four innings. Here are the final stats for Southern Miss’ starters.
Sam Sklar is the Southern Miss Beat reporter for the Hattiesburg American. Email him at ssklar@hattiesb.gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
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