The Southern Miss Golden Eagles closed out the 2025 regular season with a thunderous statement, sweeping nationally ranked Troy University on the road and reaching the coveted 41-win mark. The three-game set—played at Riddle-Pace Field in Troy, Alabama—showcased a complete team performance that elevated Southern Miss into serious NCAA Regional hosting consideration.
Now riding a 15-game winning streak, which ties the school record set in 2022 and breaks the previous school record of 14 straight wins set in 2017. The Golden Eagles have their eyes set firmly on Montgomery and the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, knowing full well that their performance this coming week could determine whether Pete Taylor Park gets to host postseason baseball.
Game 1 (Thursday):
Southern Miss opened the series with a gritty 4–3 win. Junior outfielder Joey Urban provided the game-winning spark with a solo homer in the eighth, while Colby Allen pitched three innings shutting down Troy to preserve the victory.
Game 2 (Friday):
In one of their most dominant performances of the year, the Eagles ran away with a 12–1 mercy-rule win in eight innings. The offense exploded with 12 hits, including three-RBI efforts from both Nick Monistere and Matthew Russo, while Matt Adams and Kross Sively provided the pitching, giving up only 1 earned run on 4 hits.
Game 3 (Saturday):
Southern Miss capped the sweep with an 8–5 win. Russo delivered again, tallying a career-high four hits. Urban stayed hot at the plate, driving in three more runs, and the bullpen held off a late push from the Trojans, backing up 4.2 innings of work for Grayden Harris.
Over the weekend, Southern Miss:
- Outscored Troy 24–9
- Hit .362 as a team
- Struck out just 11 times across three games
- Posted a collective ERA under 3.00
Postseason Outlook: Can Southern Miss Host a Regional?
With a 41–13 record and a dominant 24–6 mark in the Sun Belt Conference, Southern Miss is knocking on the door of regional hosting territory. But the margin is thin.
According to the latest Baseball America projections, Southern Miss is listed as a No. 2 seed, just outside the host bubble. However, their case is compelling:
- Strength of Schedule ranked top 30
- Top 25 RPI
- 10+ combined Quad 1 and Quad 2 wins
- 24–6 in conference play
Hosting a regional will likely require at least two or three wins in the Sun Belt Tournament, and ideally a run to the championship game. The tournament begins Tuesday in Montgomery, with Southern Miss slotted as the No. 2 seed. They’ll open Wednesday at 12:20 against either Old Dominion or Georgia State in the double-elimination format.
A Historic Season in Context
This year’s 41-win regular season marks the 16th time in program history that Southern Miss has reached the 40-win threshold before postseason play. Here’s how this campaign stacks up against other historic years:
| Year | Wins Before Postseason | Final Record | Postseason Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 40 | 47–17 | Hattiesburg Regional (L. Baylor) |
| 2009 | 36 | 40–26 | Atlanta Regional (W. Georgia Tech) Gainesville Super Regional ( W. Florida) College World Series (L. North Carolina) |
| 2016 | 41 | 43–20 | Tallahassee Regional (L. South Alabama) |
| 2022 | 43 | 47–19 | Hattiesburg Regional (W. LSU) Hattiesburg Super Regional (L. Ole Miss) |
| 2023 | 40 | 45–20 | Auburn Regional ( W. Auburn) Hattiesburg Super Regional (L. Tennessee) |
| 2024 | 42 | 46–18 | Knoxville Regional (L. Tennessee) |
| 2025 | 41 | TBD | TBD |
Under second-year head coach Christian Ostrander, Southern Miss has maintained the program’s national relevance and looks primed to build upon its recent run of seven straight NCAA Tournament appearances. The Golden Eagles are also trying to host a regional for the first time since 2022, when the “Pete” drew one of the best postseason crowds in the country.
Southern Miss heads to Montgomery on a mission—to win the Sun Belt Tournament and secure hosting rights. Their next game is set for Wednesday at 12:30 p.m., with the opponent to be determined following the play-in round.
Hosting a regional isn’t just a logistical benefit—it’s a symbolic reward for one of the most consistent and passionate programs in the South. If the Golden Eagles keep soaring, there’s a good chance postseason baseball is coming back to Hattiesburg.
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