No. 12 Southern Miss Routs Alabama Behind Two Grand Slams
The last time Southern Miss hosted the Alabama Crimson Tide, it was in the first elimination game of the 2025 Hattiesburg Regional. In that contest, the Golden Eagles rallied from a two-run deficit in the eighth inning to send Alabama home for the summer.
Facing another two-run deficit Tuesday night, Ben Higdon again delivered a momentum-shifting swing. Unlike his solo home run in June that tied the game, Higdon launched a grand slam that broke the game open and propelled Southern Miss to a 14-4 run-rule victory in eight innings for their seventh straight victory.
WATCH IT AGAIN#OTR | #ETM | #SMTTT https://t.co/m9r0tDiDLI pic.twitter.com/q34AKs6vFx
— Southern Miss Baseball (@SouthernMissBSB) February 25, 2026
The game marked Southern Miss’ first since climbing eight spots to No. 12 in Monday’s D1Baseball Top 25 following an undefeated showing at the Round Rock Classic.
Southern Miss (7-1) took control in the fourth inning.
After Luke Vaughn hit a two-run home run in the top of the inning to trim the deficit to 5-4, the Golden Eagles responded by drawing walks from three of their first four batters. Higdon added a bunt single to load the bases before Joey Urban drew a walk to force in a run.
Russo followed with a single to right field, driving in two more runs.
With the bases loaded and Alabama (7-2) on its third pitcher of the game, Kyle Morrison hit Southern Miss’ second grand slam of the night off Evan Steckmesser, extending the lead to 12-4.
K MO GRAND SLAM RUN IT BACK#OTR | #ETM | #SMTTT https://t.co/RXhYd4UioL pic.twitter.com/IVkJvydOcp
— Southern Miss Baseball (@SouthernMissBSB) February 25, 2026
Freshman Bruce Littleton, who tossed a 1-2-3 second inning, earned his first collegiate victory in his first career appearance. Senior JT Blackwood took the loss for Alabama, his first decision in his second start this season.
Vaughn provided the lone offensive highlight for Alabama, which entered the game averaging more than eight runs per contest and had already recorded three run-rule victories in the season’s opening weeks.
Fire us up, @luke_vaughn_2!#RollTide pic.twitter.com/DNAcZjWwyz
— Alabama Baseball (@AlabamaBSB) February 25, 2026
It marked Alabama’s first run-rule loss since a 19-3 defeat to then-No. 6 Georgia last may. Dating to the 1995 season, when Alabama stopped playing multiple weekend doubleheaders in conference and nonconference play, it was the first time a non-SEC opponent defeated the Crimson Tide via the run rule.
For Southern Miss, it was the program’s first nonconference run-rule victory since a 10-0 win over Northwestern State in the 2021 season-opening series finale and its first against a power conference opponent.
The win was Southern Miss’ sixth in its past 10 meetings with Alabama dating to 2016, though Alabama leads the overall series 76-36.
The Golden Eagles hit the road this weekend for a three-game series against Louisiana Tech, while Alabama will head to Frisco, Texas for the Frisco College Baseball Classic.
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