SAM HOUSTON STATE 12, SOUTHERN MISS 11 (11)OXFORD — Just when it seemed Southern Miss’ Sunday afternoon was about to be extended into an evening of even more baseball, the Golden Eagles saw their season come to a stunning, bitter end.
USM lost the lead four times in the final four innings as Sam Houston State rallied for two runs in the bottom of the 11th to pull off a 12-11 victory that eliminated the Golden Eagles from the Oxford Regional.
“I’ve been through a lot of baseball, and that’s the craziest game that I’ve ever been a part of,” USM shortstop Brian Dozier said. “There was just so much, with their two-out hitting and our two-out hitting. They played great, but we played great also. It’s just the crazy game of baseball.”
OLE MISS 21, SAM HOUSTON STATE 13OXFORD — After scoring five runs in the top of the fourth inning to regain the lead, left fielder Bobby Verbick thought Sam Houston State was on its way to another big upset Sunday.
There was one problem: the Bearkats had to go back into the field in the bottom of the inning.
Ole Miss wasn’t sharp on the mound and unusually shaky in the field, but won the Oxford Regional by bullying Sam Houston State’s depleted pitching staff during a 21-13 victory in front of an announced crowd of 6,329 in Oxford-University Stadium.
The offensive barrage pushed the Rebels (40-23) into their third straight Super Regional. They will play Arizona State or Nebraska in a best-of-three series this week. The location and dates will be announced tonight.
