Southern Miss and Virginia meet in an elimination game of the NCAA Hattiesburg Regional on May 30 at 1 p.m. CT at Pete Taylor Park. Davis Gillespie hit a three-run homer and the game swung again with Joe Tiroly’s blasts, while Virginia grabbed the lead in the
By the time the scoreboard started shifting again, it felt like this regional was already decided and then—snap—undone.
No. 1 seed Southern Miss (44-16) needed to win to stay alive, and on May 30 it faced a familiar kind of postseason pressure: an elimination game at Pete Taylor Park against No. 2 seed Virginia (36-22). First pitch came at 1 p.m. CT, with ESPN+ carrying the matchup.
Both teams arrived with fresh wounds from the opening day of the Hattiesburg Regional. Southern Miss let a ninth-inning lead slip away in a 7-4 loss to No. 4 seed Little Rock. Virginia, meanwhile, fell to No. 3 seed Jacksonville State, 15-7.
The winner of Southern Miss vs. Virginia moves on for Game 5 on May 31 at 3 p.m.
Southern Miss vs. Virginia live updates, score
Southern Miss jumped out in the top-to-bottom rhythm early, and the scoreboard reflected it fast. After Virginia got an opening double from RJ Holmes, AJ Gracia answered with an RBI single up the middle of the infield to give the Cavaliers a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first.
Southern Miss responded in the bottom of the second. With two outs and two men on, Tucker Stockman launched a 408-foot home run over the center field wall, putting the Golden Eagles ahead 3-1.
The lead didn’t last long once Virginia’s bats found their timing. In the top of the third, Joe Tiroly smoked a three-run home run off the top of the scoreboard to give the Cavaliers a 4-3 lead.
Southern Miss answered right back. In the bottom of the third, Davis Gillespie went yard for the 15th time this season, sending a three-run home run over the left field wall. Southern Miss moved in front 6-4.
Virginia regained momentum with bases loaded in the top of the fourth. AJ Gracia hit a base-clearing triple to give Virginia the lead, 8-6.
Then came another swing for Virginia in the same inning, as RJ Holmes grounded through the Golden Eagles’ defense for an RBI single with the bases loaded, scoring one run. Southern Miss still had a moment—at 6-5 in the top of the fourth—before the Cavaliers’ scoring kept it close.
But Southern Miss managed to push back again as play moved into the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth, Joe Tiroly grounded out to shortstop, scoring AJ Gracia from third base. Virginia led 9-6 in the top of the fourth earlier. but the live progression at the time of that update placed Virginia ahead 9-7 in the bottom of the sixth.
Southern Miss wouldn’t go quietly. Late in the game’s unfolding at that point, Davis Gillespie shot an RBI double to right field, scoring Kyle Morrison from first base. The scoreboard at that stage had Virginia leading 9-7 in the bottom of the sixth.
Starting pitcher matchup
The matchup on the mound read like a test of resolve: Southern Miss sent Grayden Harris (8-1, 3.20 ERA) to face Virginia’s Kyle Johnson (1-3, 5.86 ERA).
Lineups for Southern Miss vs. Virginia
Southern Miss lineup vs. Virginia:
SS Seth Smith
CF Joey Urban
2B Kyle Morrison
LF Davis Gillespie
1B Matthew Russo
3B Drey Barrett
RF Ben Higdon
C Tucker Stockman
DH Caleb Stelly
Starting pitcher: Grayden Harris
Virginia baseball lineup vs. Southern Miss:
SS RJ Holmes
CF AJ Gracia
2B Joe Tiroly
LF Harrison Didawick
C Jake Weatherspoon
RF Zach Jackson
Starting pitcher: Kyle Johnson
1B Sam Harris
3B Noah Murray
Regional stakes and what’s next
Southern Miss entered the day ranked No. 14 and Virginia was No. 26.
The win matters beyond the one game—Southern Miss has a recent history in the regional round, winning a regional three times: 2023, 2022, and 2009.
Hattiesburg weather and schedule
The forecast in Hattiesburg called for 82 degrees with a 51% chance of rain and winds at 6 mph, according to AccuWeather.com.
The Hattiesburg Regional schedule (CT) set the path after this elimination matchup:
Friday, May 29
Game 1: No. 4 seed Little Rock 7, No. 1 seed Southern Miss 4
Game 2: No. 3 Jacksonville State 15, No. 2 Virginia 7
Saturday, May 30
Game 3: Southern Miss vs. Virginia, 1 p.m., ESPN+
Game 4: Little Rock vs. Jacksonville State, 8 p.m., ESPN+
Sunday, May 31
Game 5: Winner of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4, 4 p.m., TBD
Game 6: Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5, 8 p.m., TBD
Sunday, June 1
Game 7 (If necessary): Rematch of Game 6, TBA
While the bases kept moving and the innings stacked up, the message stayed the same: one game decides who survives the regional—and who watches the rest from the wrong side of the bracket.
Southern Miss baseball Virginia Cavaliers baseball NCAA Hattiesburg Regional Pete Taylor Park elimination game May 30 ESPN+