Alabama Baseball Routed by Southern Miss in Run-Rule Loss

Crimson Tide pitching struggles as Golden Eagles hit two grand slams in blowout victory

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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The Alabama baseball team saw its seven-game win streak snapped on Tuesday night, as they were run-ruled 14-4 by Southern Miss in an eight-inning contest. The Crimson Tide jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but the Golden Eagles responded with two grand slams to take control of the game and cruise to the lopsided victory.

Why it matters

This loss is a setback for an Alabama team that had been playing well, and it highlights the need for the Crimson Tide pitching staff to improve after struggling mightily against a tough Southern Miss lineup. The team now faces a tough weekend slate against quality opponents in Frisco, Texas as they look to bounce back from this disappointing defeat.

The details

Alabama took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but Southern Miss quickly erased that deficit with a grand slam by Ben Higdon in the bottom of the second. The Crimson Tide briefly tied it at 4-4 in the fourth on a two-run homer by Luke Vaughn, but the Golden Eagles then blew the game open with another grand slam, this time by Kyle Morrison, as part of a five-run fourth inning. Alabama was held hitless over the final four innings as Southern Miss cruised to the run-rule victory.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, February 25, 2026.
  • Alabama had won seven straight games prior to this loss.

The players

Rob Vaughn

The head coach of the Alabama baseball team.

Ben Higdon

The Southern Miss player who hit a grand slam in the second inning to give the Golden Eagles the lead.

Kyle Morrison

The Southern Miss second baseman who hit a grand slam in the fourth inning to blow the game open for the Golden Eagles.

JT Blackwood

The Alabama pitcher who took the loss, giving up five runs over two innings of work.

Evan Steckmesser

The Alabama relief pitcher who allowed five earned runs while recording just one out in the fourth inning.

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What they’re saying

“We didn't make plays. Just compounding mistakes, and against a good team, it's not just not making errors. You've got to make plays. And we've got to do a better job.”

— Rob Vaughn, Head Coach (si.com)

“The game got away from us right there. They kept rolling arm after arm, and it's a lot more comfortable for them, you know, pitching in a 12-4 game versus a 5-4 game. So credit them, they kicked our tails tonight.”

— Rob Vaughn, Head Coach (si.com)

What’s next

Alabama has a big weekend ahead, facing Iowa, Houston, and ranked Oregon State in Frisco, Texas as they look to bounce back from this lopsided defeat.

The takeaway

This blowout loss to Southern Miss is a wake-up call for an Alabama team that had been playing well, highlighting the need for the Crimson Tide pitching staff to improve if they want to compete with top opponents this season.