Arkansas State clinches historic series win over No. 7 Southern Miss
Arkansas State secured a historic series victory Sunday afternoon, defeating No. 7 Southern Miss 5-2 at Tomlinson Stadium–Slayton Family Field to clinch the rubber match and the series.
The win marked the Red Wolves’ first-ever home series victory over a top-10 opponent. Arkansas State improved to 15-6 overall and 2-1 in Sun Belt Conference play, while Southern Miss fell to 16-4 and 1-2 in league action.
The victory also marked the program’s third win over a top-10 team this season, the most in a single year in school history. It was the third series win against a top-10 opponent in program history, joining series victories over No. 10 Coastal Carolina in 2019 and No. 7 Louisville in 2015.
A crowd of 1,051 attended Sunday’s game, bringing the weekend total to 4,771 fans — the largest attendance for a three-game home series in Arkansas State history.
Arkansas State leaned on a strong performance from starting pitcher Dylan Farley. The right-hander worked six innings, allowing just three hits and two runs while striking out four. Farley dominated early, retiring the first 11 batters he faced before allowing his first hit with two outs in the fourth inning.
The Red Wolves took control early in the bottom of the first inning. Arkansas State capitalized on two errors by the Southern Miss middle infield along with a wild pitch to push across three runs for a 3-0 lead.
Arkansas State added three singles over the next two innings but left all three runners stranded as the Golden Eagles changed pitchers and slowed the Red Wolves’ offense through the middle innings.
Southern Miss trimmed the lead in the sixth inning. A failed pickoff attempt allowed one run to score before a solo home run later in the inning cut Arkansas State’s advantage to 3-2.
Tyler Weimer relieved Farley and delivered 1.1 scoreless innings while striking out two. Weimer also worked out of a jam with the potential go-ahead run in scoring position.
Arkansas State threatened again in the seventh when Kaden Amundson doubled and advanced to third on a groundout but was left stranded.
Southern Miss mounted another threat in the eighth inning, loading the bases with a walk, single and hit batter. A wild pitch sent runners scrambling, but Amundson gathered the ball behind the plate and made a tag at home to end the inning.
The Red Wolves responded in the bottom half of the eighth with two insurance runs. Evan Griffis and Cason Campbell each delivered solo home runs to extend the Arkansas State lead to 5-2.
Cooper Garrison closed out the game in the ninth inning, allowing a single before inducing a fielder’s choice to secure the final out and earn his third save of the season.
Farley earned the win to improve to 3-0 on the year, while Southern Miss starter McCarty English took the loss and fell to 1-1.