Southern Mississippi outhomered Elon, who has hit the most home runs in the country, on Friday to take a 17-15 win in the first game of the Atlanta regional of the NCAA baseball tournament.
Elon had hit 131 home runs compared to the Eagles' 56, but Southern Miss hit six to Elon's five to advance to the winner's-bracket game at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Eagles will play the winner of Friday's nightcap between Georgia Tech and Georgia State.
The two teams combined for 71 total bases, fourth-most in NCAA history, and few parts of the ballpark were spared. Six homers were hit to left, two to right-center — where the ball carries best, and three to right.
After Southern Miss (36-23) jumped to an 8-0 lead in the second on three home runs — a three-run shot, two-run shot and solo shot — Elon (40-17) clawed back and took its first lead, 13-12 in the eighth.
But Southern Miss wasn't done.
Tyler Koelling led off the ninth with a walk, and Joey Archer followed with another walk. The next batter, pinch-hitter Adam Doleac, doubled to right-center to tie the game at 13 and put runners on second and third with one out.
A passed ball allowed Archer to score and give the Eagles the lead, 14-13.
Pinch-hitter Kyle Maxie followed with a homer to right field to stretch the lead to 16-13. Bo Davis followed with a homer to left field, his second of the game, to make the score 17-13. Davis went 4-for-5 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Archer went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored.
Elon rallied for two runs in the ninth on a homer by Neal Pritchard to cut the Eagles' lead to 17-15.
Elon was led by Bennett Davis, who went 4-for-4 with three solo home runs and four RBIs.
Colin Cargill picked up the win, and Girdwood took the loss.
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