No. 12 Southern Miss Loses Series Opener vs. Troy

Golden Eagles' hitting woes continue in 6-5 defeat

Mar. 21, 2026 at 4:34am

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No. 12 Southern Miss (17-5) fell to Troy (10-11) 6-5 in the series opener at Pete Taylor Park on Friday night, despite a two-homer game from senior second baseman Kyle Morrison. Sophomore left-hander Grayden Harris suffered his first loss of the season, giving up five runs on 10 hits in just over five innings. Southern Miss' offense has struggled lately, batting .219 as a team in the loss.

Why it matters

Southern Miss came into the weekend ranked 10th in the Sun Belt in batting average, and their offensive struggles continued against Troy. Losing the series opener at home against a conference opponent is a tough blow, especially for a team that has already notched several high-profile wins this season.

The details

Despite Morrison's two solo home runs, Southern Miss couldn't overcome Troy's strong pitching and defense. Starter Grayden Harris had an uncharacteristic outing, giving up 10 hits and five runs. The Golden Eagles were able to cut the deficit to one run in the 8th inning, but it wasn't enough. Southern Miss' team batting average was just .219, with Morrison accounting for two of the team's seven hits.

  • The series opener was played on Friday, March 21, 2026.

The players

Kyle Morrison

Southern Miss senior second baseman who hit two solo home runs in the loss.

Grayden Harris

Southern Miss sophomore left-handed pitcher who suffered his first loss of the season, giving up 10 hits and 5 runs in just over 5 innings.

Christian Ostrander

Southern Miss head coach who said the team was out-played by Troy and that it was a "tough loss."

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What’s next

The Golden Eagles will look to even the series against Troy on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT. The game will be available on ESPN+.

The takeaway

Southern Miss' offensive struggles have continued into conference play, and they will need to find a way to get their bats going soon if they want to avoid losing their second straight Sun Belt series to start the season. The potential of a Harris-Allen pitching combo remains promising, but the Golden Eagles' lineup will need to step up to support their pitching staff.