MOBILE – It couldn't have been more fitting circumstances than for Alabama native Christopher Sargent to give Southern Miss its first win at Eddie Stankey Field since 2017.
For Sargent, who had grown up just 30 minutes away from Mobile in his hometown of Wilmer, having the chance to deliver a game-winning hit against South Alabama was an opportunity he was prepared and relished.
With his team down 4-3 in the top of the ninth inning against the Jaguars on Tuesday night, Sargent got his wish and hit a 2-run RBI single that helped the No. 7 Golden Eagles come out with a 6-4 win.
"I knew if it came up to me that I was ready for it," Sargent said. "I wanted the moment going into it.
"I've never won a game here. We haven't won a game in here for a long time. Coming here is always fun, and my whole family comes out and supports me."
ADAMS' MIDWEEK STARTS
Matthew Adams earned the midweek start for the second straight week after striking out five batters in 3.2 innings against Southeastern Louisiana.
"I was getting ready for our last home series in the weight room, and (pitching coach Christian Ostrander) came up to me and said, 'You got the ball on Tuesday if you don't throw today,'" Adams said. "From then on, I started getting myself ready."
Yet prior to that, it had been almost two months since the Covid-sophomore had pitched, with his last outing being ironically against South Alabama on March 8.
"I've kept myself ready and had a long hiatus where I didn't throw for a while," Adams said. Coach (Ostrander) preached to me to stay ready for my next opportunity. That's what I had to do. It's not always about me. It's about the team. When I'm waiting my turn, I'm just cheering on my teammates as best as I can, no matter who is going out there. I pray and hope that they can do the best that they can."
Adams proved he stayed ready after throwing 6.2 innings in his second matchup against the Jaguars as he struck out nine batters and allowed no walks while allowing three runs off four hits.
"He had the composure of what we needed in the midweek start," Southern Miss coach Scott Berry said. "I think it was a no-brainer to go with him today. I felt like he had a good mix, and so did Oz, of being able to neutralize this South Alabama offense.
"He's got pitch ability. He's got three pitches that he can throw for strikes. I think he is very confident with what he can do and he can locate. He doesn't hurt himself with walks, and he makes you beat him by putting in the ball play."
With Adams on the mound, Southern Miss (35-10) took a 3-0 lead with Gabe Montenegro hitting an RBI triple in the fifth and then Will McGillis extending the lead with a 2-run home run.
SEVENTH INNING
In the seventh inning, things almost came apart for Southern Miss, with South Alabama (24-19) scoring four runs with two outs.
Adams gave up a two-out RBI single while were runners were at second and third, which led to USM making its first of three pitching changes in the inning.
Reliever Tyler Stuart loaded the bases by hitting a batter, with Drew Boyd then giving up a bases-clearing RBI double to give South Alabama a 4-3 lead.
"I think you have to credit South Alabama for what they were able to do," Berry said. "We got two quicks out, and then all of a sudden its base hit, base hit, walk. I think sometimes you have just to credit those guys. Maybe we didn't finish like we needed to, but I'm not panicking about that at all.
Just Storm then ended the inning and crucially kept the Jaguars off the board in the eighth inning as he stranded two runners on base.
"These guys have done really well," Berry said. "I was just glad to see Storm come in and calm that storm, and give us the outing that he had to get to Dalton Rogers in the ninth inning."
COMEBACK
Southern Miss found life in the ninth inning after Gabe Montenegro and Dustin Dickerson came up with back-to-back one-out singles, with Paetow drawing a walk to load the bases. This set up Sargent's RBI single to give USM the lead, while Danny Lynch, who was 3-for-5, added an insurance run with an RBI single.
INJURY UPDATE
Southern Miss was still without right fielder Reece Ewing, who suffered a broken hand, as well as designated hitter Slade Wilks who battled an issue with his oblique muscle.
Berry added that he believes Wilks may return for the upcoming weekend series against Old Dominion while Ewing could return for the series against UTSA.
"I don't see (Ewing coming back) until hopefully the UTSA series," Berry said. "The X-ray shows that there is still a break. It's a little bit better, but it's still a break. I'm hoping that Slade can be back out this weekend, but we are not pushing him. I don't want to regress and push him too quick.
Friday's first pitch against Old Dominion is set for 1 p.m.
