Southern Miss Coach Discusses Crucial Bunt Call in Walk-Off Win

Golden Eagles assistant Travis Creel breaks down key moments from Tuesday's dramatic victory over New Orleans.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 10:49pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting in bold blues, golds, and reds, depicting the chaotic action of a baseball game's climactic final plays without any identifiable players or logos.A cubist interpretation of the dramatic final moments of Southern Miss' walk-off win over New Orleans, capturing the tension and energy of the game-winning hit.New Orleans Today

Southern Miss assistant coach Travis Creel joined the SuperTalk Eagle Hour to discuss the team's 3-2 walk-off win over New Orleans on Tuesday, including a crucial bunt call in the 9th inning that set up the game-winning hit. Creel explained the reasoning behind the bunt and how it helped the Golden Eagles rally for the victory.

Why it matters

The win over New Orleans was an important midweek game for Southern Miss as they prepare for a key conference series against Louisiana this weekend. Creel's insights provide valuable context around the team's strategy and decision-making in a close, dramatic finish.

The details

With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning, Southern Miss assistant coach Travis Creel called for a bunt from senior outfielder Slade Wilks. The bunt resulted in two runners reaching base and set up the game-winning hit by Matthew Russo. Creel explained that the bunt was intended to put pressure on New Orleans' third baseman, who was making just his 7th start of the season, and guarantee the Golden Eagles' top hitters would get a chance to win the game.

  • The game-winning hit came in the bottom of the 9th inning on Tuesday, April 8, 2026.
  • Southern Miss improved its record to 24-9 with the victory.

The players

Travis Creel

The assistant coach for the Southern Miss baseball team who discussed the team's strategy and key plays from Tuesday's win over New Orleans.

Matthew Russo

The senior first baseman for Southern Miss who delivered the game-winning hit in the 9th inning.

Slade Wilks

The senior outfielder for Southern Miss who executed the crucial bunt in the 9th inning that set up the game-winning hit.

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What they’re saying

“We'll take it. Obviously, we'd like to score more runs and not give them a two-spot in the first, but after the first, our pitchers really settled in and battled around a lot of traffic. And then the offense found a way to win late, so (I'm) proud of the guys.”

— Travis Creel, Assistant Coach

“I put it on for a couple of reasons. One, we really hadn't made their third baseman make a play all night, and it was only his seventh start of the season. So the pressure of the game was on, and we wanted to apply some (more) pressure. In my mind, worst-case scenario, we'd have a runner on second with (Kyle) Morrison up to bat.”

— Travis Creel, Assistant Coach

What’s next

Southern Miss will travel to face Louisiana in a key conference series this weekend as they look to build on their 24-9 record.

The takeaway

Southern Miss showed resilience and smart in-game strategy to rally for the walk-off win over New Orleans, which should provide momentum heading into their important series against Louisiana. The insights from assistant coach Travis Creel highlight the team's ability to make key decisions under pressure to secure a dramatic victory.