Russo Walk-Off! No. 10 Southern Miss Takes Down New Orleans in 9th-Inning Thriller

The Golden Eagles' pitching staff shut out New Orleans from the second inning on, and Matthew Russo delivered the clutch goods in the ninth inning to give Southern Miss the win.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 4:03am

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A cubist, geometric painting featuring overlapping planes of bright colors and abstracted baseball imagery, conveying the energy and excitement of a dramatic game-winning moment.A dramatic, fragmented illustration captures the intensity of a walk-off win for the Southern Miss baseball team.Lafayette Today

In a midweek matchup, the No. 10 Southern Miss Golden Eagles defeated the New Orleans Privateers 3-2 in dramatic fashion. After falling behind 2-0 in the first inning, the Southern Miss pitching staff shut out New Orleans the rest of the way. In the bottom of the ninth with the game tied 2-2, senior first baseman Matthew Russo delivered a walk-off RBI single to give the Golden Eagles the victory.

Why it matters

The win improves Southern Miss's record to 24-9 on the season, while New Orleans falls to 14-21. The Golden Eagles have now won their last three games against the Ragin' Cajuns, but they have struggled at Lafayette, going just 9-9 in that venue. This sets up an important Sun Belt series between the two teams as Southern Miss looks to continue its hot streak and Louisiana tries to salvage its season.

The details

Redshirt-sophomore Drake Meeks got the start for Southern Miss but struggled early, walking two batters and allowing two runs in the first inning. However, the Golden Eagles' bullpen shut down New Orleans the rest of the way, combining for 10 strikeouts and just five hits allowed over the final eight innings. In the bottom of the ninth with the game tied 2-2, Matthew Russo came through with a walk-off RBI single to give Southern Miss the victory.

  • Meeks struck out two of the first three batters he faced in the first inning.
  • Meeks walked two batters and threw a wild pitch, allowing New Orleans to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
  • Over the final eight innings, the Southern Miss bullpen held New Orleans scoreless.

The players

Drake Meeks

Redshirt-sophomore right-handed pitcher who made the first start of his collegiate career for Southern Miss.

JW Armistead

Senior right-handed pitcher who came in to get the final out of the first inning and pitched well the rest of the way for Southern Miss.

Matthew Russo

Senior first baseman who delivered the game-winning walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning for Southern Miss.

Christian Ostrander

Head coach of the Southern Miss Golden Eagles baseball team.

New Orleans Privateers

The baseball team from the University of New Orleans that lost to Southern Miss in this midweek matchup.

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What they’re saying

“Always feels good to get that big hit with the game on the line!”

— Matthew Russo, Senior first baseman

What’s next

After this midweek win, Southern Miss will now head to Lafayette, Louisiana to take on the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns in a crucial Sun Belt Conference series. The Golden Eagles hold a 27-19 all-time record against the Ragin' Cajuns, but they have struggled at Lafayette, going just 9-9 in that venue.

The takeaway

This victory showcases the resilience of the Southern Miss pitching staff, which was able to shut down New Orleans after a shaky start. The clutch hitting of Matthew Russo also highlights the Golden Eagles' ability to come through in high-pressure situations, which will be crucial as they head into a pivotal Sun Belt series against Louisiana.