HATTIESBURG, Miss. – For the 13th time in program history, and the first since 2016, the Miami Hurricanes are headed back to the NCAA Super Regionals after edging top-seeded Southern Miss, 5-4, in a thrilling winner-take-all contest Monday night at Pete Taylor Park.
Right-hander Will Smith (3-0) earned the win after tossing three innings of one-run ball in relief, striking out four and allowing just one hit. Starter Reese Lumpkin allowed one run across 3 1/3 innings, while Rob Evans and Walters combined to close the door.
Southern Miss starter Matthew Adams (6-4) took the loss, allowing three runs over 4 2/3 innings. Paetow’s late blast and Matthew Russo’s RBI single in the fourth accounted for the Golden Eagles’ offense.
The Hurricanes found their first run of the regional championship through a solo home run from designated hitter Derek Williams. His ninth of the season, Williams’ long ball carried 411 feet to put Miami in front, 1-0.
Southern Miss tied the game in the fourth, but Miami’s defense responded under pressure. Ozzie Pratt led off the frame with a single to left, followed by a walk to Nick Monistere that pushed Pratt into scoring position. Russo plated a run with a single through the right side, that scored Pratt and advancing Monistere to third.
Miami head coach JD Arteaga turned to the bullpen, calling on Smith to relieve starter Rafe Lumpkin. Smith registered a double play off the bat of Joey Urban, helping the Hurricanes escape the jam and keep the game level.
Fresh off the momentum of a crucial double play, the Miami bats reignited in the following frame. After two quick strikeouts, freshman Michael Torres extended the inning with a single. Torres advanced to second on a passed ball, and Jake Ogden came through with an RBI double to right-center, scoring Torres and giving the Hurricanes a 2-1 lead.
After Miami found themselves back in the driver’s seat, Josh Och entered in relief of starter Matt Adams. Max Galvin followed with an RBI single to center on an 0-2 pitch, bringing home Jake Ogden and extending Miami’s lead to 3-1.
Smith kept the Golden Eagles in check with a 1-2-3 inning in the fifth, recording a pair of strikeouts to maintain the Hurricanes’ lead. Then, Miami added much-needed insurance in the sixth.
Senior Dorian Gonzalez Jr. started the frame with a no-doubt solo home run to right field, pushing the score to 4-1 as Southern Miss went back to their bullpen for answers.
Kros Sivley took over on the mound for Och following Gonzalez Jr.’s eleventh home run of the season, but Miami wasn’t done just yet.
Derek Williams drew a walk, and Dorian Gonzalez Jr. followed with a bunt single back to the mound, putting two runners on with no outs. Tanner Smith executed a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners into scoring position.
After Fabio Peralta went down on strikes, Michael Torres used his speed to beat out an infield single to short, scoring Williams and extending Miami’s lead to 5-1.
But Southern Miss showed resilience, chipping away at the Hurricanes’ lead with an RBI single from Tucker Stockman in the seventh to make it 5-2. In the bottom of the ninth, Carson Paetow launched a two-run homer, cutting the deficit to one and putting immense pressure on Miami closer Brian Walters.
The right-hander remained composed, inducing a game-ending pop-up to left field that sealed the win—and ignited a celebratory dogpile in the same spot where Walters had made history.
The Hurricanes will now travel to Louisville, Kentucky, to take on the Louisville Cardinals in a best of three series – with a trip to Omaha on the line.
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