HATTIESBURG, Miss. (Interstat) — Kyle Morrison drove in five runs, including three on a first-inning home run that immediately erased an early deficit, and Southern Mississippi rolled to a 9-4 victory over North Alabama on Friday night at Pete Taylor Park.

The Golden Eagles (12-2) trailed 4-0 after the top of the first but responded with a four-run bottom half, sparked by Morrison’s two-out, three-run blast to deep center field off North Alabama starter Tripp Patterson. The Lions (7-7) had seized the early lead on Nash Rippen’s two-run homer, his fourth of the season, which followed a single by Petey Craska.

Morrison, the Southern Mississippi second baseman, added a two-run triple in the third inning to break a 4-4 tie, plating Matthew Russo and Davis Gillespie. He finished 2 for 4, raising his season home run total to four. His five RBIs were a career high and provided the bulk of the offense for the Golden Eagles, who matched North Alabama’s nine hits but capitalized more effectively with runners on base.

The most important sequence of the game occurred in the bottom of the first inning. After the Lions’ quick four-run outburst, Southern Mississippi’s first two batters were retired. Ben Higdon then walked, and after a walk to Russo, Drey Barrett delivered an RBI single to make it 4-1. Morrison followed by launching a 1-0 pitch over the center field wall, instantly neutralizing North Alabama’s momentum and tying the game. The Golden Eagles never trailed again.

Southern Mississippi starter Colby Allen (2-0) settled in after the rocky first, working six innings and allowing two earned runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out five. Reliever Kros Sivley earned his first save with three innings of one-run relief, scattering three hits and striking out three.

Patterson (0-2) took the loss for North Alabama, lasting five innings but surrendering seven earned runs on nine hits. He walked three and struck out one. The Lions’ bullpen of Jordan Touhey and Josh Bowerman combined for three scoreless innings of relief, allowing no hits and striking out five, but the early damage proved insurmountable.

North Alabama added an unearned run in the third on an RBI single by Dylan Coleman and a final run in the ninth on Craska’s third hit of the night, an RBI single. Craska went 3 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored.

Southern Mississippi extended its lead to 7-4 in the third on Morrison’s triple and a sacrifice fly by Seth Smith. The Golden Eagles added two unearned runs in the sixth when Russo’s RBI single was followed by a fielding error by Rippen in left field, allowing a second run to score.

The victory extended Southern Mississippi’s strong early-season form, while North Alabama fell back to .500. The teams continue their three-game series Saturday afternoon.