MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Interstat) — The Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles overcame a four-run deficit and defeated the Georgia State Panthers 7-6 on Wednesday at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium in a Sun Belt Conference game.

Southern Mississippi improved to 41-14, while Georgia State fell to 27-29.

Georgia State struck first but did not score until the third inning. After the Panthers’ starter Will Bartkoski allowed two runs in the bottom of the first on a two-run single by Matthew Russo, Georgia State tied the game in the top of the third on a double by Bailey and a bunt single by John Beverley that scored Bailey on a throwing error. The Panthers took the lead in the fourth when Beverley delivered a two-run single, making it 4-2.

Bartkoski settled in but continued to battle control issues. He allowed four earned runs on no hits over six innings, striking out three, but walked four and hit three batters. The Golden Eagles chipped away. Kyle Morrison hit his 16th home run of the season in the fifth to cut the deficit to 4-3, and a double by Stockman in the sixth tied the game at 4-4.

The decisive moment came in the bottom of the seventh. With the score tied, Georgia State brought reliever Jacob Crooms into the game after Bartkoski had departed. Morrison walked, Davis walked, and Russo singled to right field, scoring Morrison and putting Southern Mississippi ahead 5-4. Higdon followed with a single up the middle, scoring Davis to extend the lead to 6-4. Georgia State changed pitchers twice in the inning, but the Golden Eagles added a crucial insurance run in the eighth when Russo grounded out to first, scoring Urban to make it 7-5.

Georgia State refused to fold. In the top of the eighth, Griffith doubled and scored on a single by Garagozzo to pull within 7-6. In the top of the ninth, the Panthers loaded the bases with one out on a single by Maginnis, a single by Bass, and a double by Haber that scored Maginnis. But reliever Kros Sivley, who entered in the sixth, gave way to Colby Allen, who induced a strikeout and a groundout to end the game. Sivley earned the win with one and two-thirds innings of one-hit, scoreless relief.

Russo went 2 for 4 with four RBIs, including the go-ahead hit in the seventh. Beverley had three hits and two RBIs for Georgia State. Grayden Harris started for Southern Mississippi and allowed two earned runs on five hits over three innings. Josh Och gave up two runs in two innings, and Allen allowed two runs in two and one-third innings.

The game featured five lead changes and saw Georgia State outhit Southern Mississippi 13 to 6, but the Golden Eagles capitalized on nine walks and five hit batters.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Southern Mississippi 7, Georgia State 5, and the ELO system gave the Golden Eagles a 79.30 percent probability to win. Southern Mississippi was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 3.5.