There is always a classic excitement when delivering a walk-off hit.
But a walk-off at Southern Miss has become a part of the Golden Eagles’ culture, and it is dubbed simply Pete Taylor Park Magic.
Southern Miss’ Matthew Russo had studied and learned how to create that magic, which he did again on Saturday as the Golden Eagle first baseman delivered a solo home run to walk off UNC Wilmington 2-1.
Russo is no stranger to magic, as he hit his first walk-off homer against Nicholls State last year. However, the program has embraced the style of clutch hitting. Southern Miss (10-5) has now experienced 30 walk-off hits since 2017, with 26 of those occurring inside Pete Taylor Park.
“There’s nothing like it,” said Russo, who has hit four home runs this season. “My freshman year, I saw (Pete Taylor Park Magic) so much, and my sophomore year I saw it more. Luckily, for the last two years, it’s been me. There’s nothing like it, especially when you have the big crowd behind you. It’s so exciting."
The trick is not overcomplicating the high-stress moment but rather keeping it simple. In fact, Russo’s intention on the final at-bat was to get on base and hopefully have a pinch runner enter the game.
“As I’ve gotten older and learned from the other guys how to be calm in those moments,” Russo said. “You have guys that have done it before that I’ve watched in my freshman and sophomore year and (watched) Danny Lynch do it a couple of times.”
Russo was unaware that his ball left the park until after he rounded first base.
“As I was running to first, I was tracking the centerfielder and seeing what the ball was doing based on his movement,” Russo said. “I was busting. I had to get to second base and get pinch ran.
“I was honestly trying to hit a ball over the shortstop’s head. He threw me an inside fastball, and I caught up to it. It’s just sticking to your approach and not trying to do too much.”
PITCHING DUEL
UNCW’s starting pitcher Connor Marshburn and Southern Miss’ Kros Sivley each delivered strong performances.
Marshburn held a no-hitter going into the fifth inning and surrendered just two hits by the end of his outing.
Sivley, however, scattered nine hits, with the Seahawks’ lone run coming in the second inning off a two-out RBI single. Despite UNCW’s success at the plate, Sivley’s never lost faith in his stuff.
“It was just establishing the fastball early,” Silvey said. “We do that and like to do that with certain teams and certain players, and I felt good with all of my pitches today.
“I’ve had the same repertoire for however long I have been here. Not really much has changed. I’ve tried to stay consistent. That’s the name of the game is staying consistent with all of my pitches, feeling good and feeling healthy out and out going there for the team and doing a job.”
Sivley covered seven innings, struck out four batters, and did not allow a walk in his outing.
“Kros did a phenomenal job,” Southern Miss coach Christian Ostrander said. “Their plan was really evident. They were really backsiding and trying not to do too much. They made it hard. Kros was able to flip that script a little bit. He got some fastballs inside on him, which opened up the offspeed (pitch) away. That’s what you have to do. Their plan of attack against him was spot on, but good pitchers can handle that and weather the storm.
“The biggest thing was there were no freebies. There were no walks or hit-by-pitches. They got nine hits, but there was no damage that was self-inflicted.”
BARRETT’S PINCH HIT
After Marshburn exited the game, Southern Miss’ lineup began to find success.
The Golden Eagles drew a pair of walks to start the seventh inning, which led to Ostrander opting to pinch-hit freshman Drey Barrett.
Barrett’s last start was against Ole Miss and had only seen two pinch hits since. His last hit came against Louisiana Tech back on Feb. 21. On the first pitch he saw, the third baseman hit an RBI single up the middle to tie the game.
“We felt like it was the right call,” Ostrander said. “They had a lefty on the mound at that time.
“We have got confidence in Drey. I’m just very proud of how he kept himself ready these last few weeks and handling from starting the majority of the games to not getting many opportunities. He got a huge base hit up the middle to tie the game and to allow what happened to happen.”
First pitch for Sunday’s game is set for 11 a.m.
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