The South Alabama Jaguars (25-16, 10-8 SBC) are set to host No. 18 Southern Miss (29-12, 11-7 SBC) for a crucial weekend series beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT. Currently, Southern Miss is in second place, four games behind Coastal Carolina, while South Alabama is tied for third alongside Troy and App State, just one game back. Historically, South Alabama leads the all-time series 69-47 but has struggled in weekend series against Southern Miss, having never won a weekend set since joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2023.

By the Numbers
  • South Alabama's 2026 RPI is not specified, but Southern Miss holds an RPI of 10.
  • Brennon Wright leads South Alabama with 57 hits and a batting average of .365.
State of Play
  • South Alabama recently secured a victory over Lamar, while Southern Miss completed a series sweep against Texas State.
  • Both teams are vying for critical wins in the competitive Sun Belt standings, with Southern Miss holding a narrow lead.
  • Mitchell Heer will start for South Alabama while Grayden Harris takes the mound for Southern Miss on Friday.
What's Next

The outcome of this series could significantly shift the conference standings and impact both teams' postseason prospects. If South Alabama can secure victories, they could establish themselves as true contenders in the Sun Belt, while a series win for Southern Miss could solidify their position towards a conference title.

Bottom Line

This series is a pivotal moment for both teams; South Alabama seeks to disrupt Southern Miss's momentum, while the Golden Eagles aim to maintain their upper-tier standing. Success in this matchup could determine playoff seeding for both squads.