SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927•WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM•APRIL 27, 2022 | VOLUME 107 | ISSUE 27
SNAKES ON CAMPUS PG 2
ELECTRIC VEHICLES PG 3
FATHER JOHN MISTY PG 7
Air Force ROTC: not your average group on campus
GARRET GROVE PRINTZ REPORTER
A
t 6 o’clock on a Monday morning, the average college student is asleep. Even if one is awake, they most likely have not left their dorm, their apartment or even their bed at that time in the morning. If a cadet within Detachment 432 is in that position, they would be counted as absent for physical training. PT occurs for cadets within Air Force ROTC Detachment 432 on Mondays and Wednesdays in the Payne Center at 6 a.m. If any cadet is still tired, it must not show when cadets are at attention or during the hour-long session of exercises. However, there is more to AFROTC than just physical activity. There is class. Students within AFROTC partake in a four-year program that prepares students to be an officer within the United States Air Force after graduation. To get there, one must take and pass 24 hours of Aerospace Studies classes and labs. Cadet Julianna Vaughn is a junior Alpha Flight Commander within the detachment. The criminal justice major had a passion for military service before coming to college and was drawn to the Air Force due to her familial background in that branch. “I originally wanted to join just because I didn’t really know what I wanted to do,” Vaughn said. “And
the military, it was an honorable job. It is something that my grandfather had told me about.” The 432nd Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Detachment was established on USM’s campus in 1971. It roots itself on three core values: integrity first, service before self and excellence in all that it does. Then Cadet Andre Taylor graduated from USM and Detachment 432 in 2007. Major Taylor has returned to his alma mater as a recruitment officer and an assistant professor of Aerospace Studies within the program. Aside from teaching classes, Major Taylor was tasked with increasing awareness of the now smaller detachment. “I’m trying to build a program back up and get us more involved with different organizations out there,” Taylor said. Though the detachment has decreased in size, its impact on the cadets has not diminished. Cadet Christian Rapetti is part of the Operations Group this semester, which runs the laboratory portion of the AFROTC curriculum. The computer science major is in the third year of the program. Before joining, Rapetti could not do a sit-up and struggled with his stutter. He explained to The Printz that through the individual attention, training and class time he has received since joining two years ago, his fitness level and public speaking ability have improved
Cadet Christian Rapetti, Operations Group member, sets a timer during a physical training session.
greatly. “I go as far as to say that’s probably the best decision I’ve made because it helped me figure out a lot about myself and helped me figure out a lot about what makes me happy too,” Rapetti said. The AFROTC also inspires its cadets to serve the community as
Garret Grove/Printz
well. For instance, Detachment 432 started a clothing drive last week. This, along with the routine service projects it does every semester helps to showcase it sense of ser-
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NEWS MEET THE CONTRIBUTORS
APRIL 27, 2022
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Local animal education group brings display to campus
SM2 News Director
Charlie Luttrell charles.luttrell@usm.edu
Executive Editor
Kyra Lampley kyra.lampley@usm.edu Entertainment Director Loren Jones loren.jones@usm.edu Printz Reporters A’Darius McCormick adarius.mcormick@usm.edu Dima Mixon dima.mixon@usm.edu Jessica Besnard jessica.besnard@usm.edu Cordaveon Carter cordaveon.carter@usm.edu Jeremiah Henry jeremiah.henry@usm.edu
Printz Photographer
Sean Smith sean.a.smith@usm.edu
CHARLIE LUTTRELL SM2 NEWS DIRECTOR
S
tudents at USM had the chance to meet a new reptilian friend on the way to class last Wednesday thanks to a local wildlife education and awareness group. Life’s Wild Adventures traveled to the USM campus from Louisiana with tortoises, a tegu and snakes that students could touch for a donation of five dollars. Life’s Wild Adventures is a YouTube channel aiming to educate its viewers about animals and conservation. The channel’s host Zachary Gray says that it has been going on for five years and now has 63,000 followers. The activity was for educational fun but also served an important purpose for the group. “All the proceeds from this are going towards research and eventual conservation within private facilities as well as public outreach programs in South Mississippi,” Life’s Wild Adventure host Zachary Gray said. Specifically, Gray said the event will help Life’s Wild Adventures fundraise
for Sandhill Conservation in south Mississippi. Many students on their way to class or passing by stopped at Shoemaker Square to see what the setup was about with the initial shock factor of seeing snakes on campus. “When I got out of Gray and students hold Snek. class, my friend had have been warming up told me there are some to her [Snek] and getting snakes out here, you should to at least pet her. A lot of come to touch them,” freshman social work major people overcame their fear and just went ahead and Aaliyah Lee said. “I don’t held her so it’s been really really do snakes but after great.” I got out of class, I saw Lee was one of the everybody and I just came students who overcame her over here and they were fear and actually enjoyed really good introducing me, saying come on and just do holding Snek, saying she would do it again. it.” “The snake was really The circle of attention heavy. At first, I was rewas Snek, a 16-foot-long ally scared because of how platinum reticulated pybig it is but once I got it, it thon, which is the world’s was ok,” Lee said. largest snake species. Stu Gray said Snek is an dents took turns gath“incredible” education aniering the courage to hold mal because she can handle Snek. being around others easily. “Everybody on USM’s Students got to interact been amazing. We’ve got so with other animals that many great reactions,” Life’s Wild Adventures Gray said. “Everybody’s had like the tegu, a large getting into it, even peo lizard species. ple that don’t like snakes
Charlie Luttrell/Printz
Gray said that Life’s Wild Adventures appreciated the response from students to have fun with the animals while also helping them towards their goal of aiding wildlife conservation efforts. “Here in Mississippi, it really needs it [conservation] and these animals are just a great way to get everybody into it because they are just amazing,” Gray said. Follow Life’s Wild Adventures on at www. youtube.com/c/LifesWildAdventures to see more about their efforts. Watch Southern Miss TV’s coverage of the event on the Southern Miss Student Media YouTube page.
and of itself would have still been worth it. “Even if I didn’t make it past my second year, and I CONTINUED FROM dropped the program, I still would have had so much to PAGE 2 take away from it that I could vice, which is reminiscent of apply to almost any other area the Air Force’s mission overall. of my life,” Rapetti said. “We try to become involved Leadership within the with our community so our com- detachment appears to mirror munity can know us, and we can this sentiment as well. know them. And that also goes “Service back to your couninto putting your best self forward try doesn’t mean that you need and striving to do excellence,” to join the military. There are Vaughn said. plenty of ways to give back,” But as with anything else, Taylor said. ROTC is not for everyone, which For more information on the is why one can participate in AFROTC or the Department AFROTC for the first two years of Aerospace Studies, one without any commitment to the can go to the second floor of program or the military. Southern Hall or email Cadet Julianna Vaughn stands in For many, the experience in afrotc@groups.usm.edu. the cadet lounge in McLemore
ROTC Continued
The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submission must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.
Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.
Hall.
Garret Grove/ Printz
NEWS
APRIL 27, 2022 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM EV Mississippi and Hub City Humane Society host “Drive Electric” event
KYRA LAMPLEY EXECUTIVE EDITOR
E
V Mississippi partnered with the Hub City Humane Society and PetSmart for their Drive Electric Earth day and National Adopt-A-Pet Event on April 23. The event took place outside of the Hattiesburg PetSmart location on Highway 98. The event attracted a hefty crowd with its centralized location and scenery. Equipped with food vendors such as Twilly Philly, Kona Ice and a total of 11 electric vehicles on display, there was more than enough for attendees to look at and satisfy their needs. The Hub City Humane Society is an animal shelter that services Lamar County and the City of Petal to provide care to homeless, neglected and abused animals. Pets were available for on-site adoption inside of PetSmart. EV Mississippi is a non-profit organization advocating for the support of hybrid and electric vehicles. According to the Drive Electric Earth Day (DEED) website, Drive Electric Earth Day is a national campaign to share information about electric vehicles throughout the month of April. April is known as Earth Month, which highlights the importance of caring for the earth and preserving its
resources. Earth Day is on April 22 and is the day on which the month’s events are centered around. Powerlines Seattle reports that investing in the planet can take many forms such as financial, physical, political and artistic outlets. Josh Hazel, with EV Mississippi, says that EV Mississippi is an advocate for Earth Day and the adoption of electric vehicles. “The purpose of this event, this was our spring drive electric event and we also partnered with PetSmart and hub city humane society to do a pet adoption and a drive electric event,” Courtesy of Hazel People bring their electric cars for display at the “Drive Electric” event. Hazel said. By using electric vehicles, people and Clean Water Act. vehicle. The faces of those getting can reduce their carbon footprint and The world faces increasing chalinside the cars expressed excitehave an impact on global emissions. lenges of climate control, thus advoment and surprise. The Department of Energy recates for Earth Month urge people to “We also signed up to drive the ports that, unlike gasoline-powered “go green”--which is another term for Tesla because we’ve never gotten to be vehicles, electric cars emit no tailpipe using resources accordingly. Driving in one of those before,” Holmes said. pollutants when running on electricelectric is one way to do so. “The point of EV Mississippi and ity--cleaning the air that we breathe. Katie Holmes, an elementary teachthe purpose of the event is for the They are also less expensive for mainer from the Hattiesburg area, says that public to come out and see the electenance over time than other vehicles. witnessing the event was incredible. tric vehicles that are available,” Hazel The inaugural celebration of Earth “We thought it was cool and wanted said. Day took place in 1970, leading to to look at the different types [electric All donations and proceeds from the creation of agencies such as the cars] they had,” Holmes said. the event will benefit Hub City HuEnvironmental Protection Agency and During the event, attendees could major policies, like the Clean Air Act mane Society. choose to test drive an electric
ENTERTAINMENT
APRIL 27, 2022 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM Pusha T returns with ‘It’s Almost Dry’, a potential album of KOBY MOORE the year REPORTE R PRINTZ
‘I Pray for You’ featuring Labrinth and Malice was
Last Friday, Pusha T dropped ‘It’s Almost Dry’ which is his follow up to the Grammy-nominated album ‘Day-
another good track. We got a Clipse reunion on the
tona’. This album follows in the footsteps of its prede-
track and they did not disappoint. Also, the pro-
cessor, excelling in its genre.
duction on this song was amazing too thanks to the production by Kanye West and Labrinth.
The album clocks in at 36 minutes and has 12 tracks
‘Diet Coke’ might be my favorite but there are so
overall, which is the perfect length between too short and too long.
many songs worthy of that title on this album that it
The album is excutive produced by Kanye West and
might change after a couple more listens.
Pharrell Williams, which are arguably two of the best
But on ‘Diet Coke’, Pusha was floating on the
hip-hop producers of all-time, making a strong-selling
track and 88-Keys and Kanye were golden on the
point for this album.
production. It felt like one of those old Bad-Boy
The features include West, Williams, Jay-Z, Kid
songs from the 90s that Biggie would rap on.
Cudi, Lil Uzi Vert, Don Toliver, Labrinth and Malice, a
Pusha T became one of my favorites after the
Image courtesy of Def Jam
star-studded and unique list. Pusha T hyped the project up by releasing three
of being played on repeat.
singles before the album with ‘Diet Coke’, ‘Hear Me
Other than the three singles that dropped,
Clearly’ with Nigo, and ‘Neck & Wrist’ featuring Jay-Z
‘Scrape it Off’ featuring Lil Uzi Vert & Don Toliver
and Pharrell Williams. ‘Diet Coke’ might be the song on this project and it was the best from the singles he released. ‘Neck & Wrist’ also shined with Jay-Z’s verse worthy
caught me by surprise because it was an interesting trio. It did not disappoint and Uzi and Pusha T were in a
‘Daytona’ project and it seems like he hasn’t missed too much since the project. He seemed natural and confident on every track, especially with the production by Pharrell and Kanye providing their iconic but fresh sounds. This has the potential to be album of the year and
bag for this one with Don Toliver doing his thing vocaliz-
has a lot of replay value. I give this album an 8.75 out
ing on the hook.
of 10.
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Father John Misty’s ‘Chloë and the Next 20th Devmaccc celebrates another April 20 Century’ swings into jazzy old Hollywood with his latest project JESSICA BESNARD PRINTZ REPORTER
JEREMIAH HENRY PRINTZ REPORTER
F
ather John Misty, also known for drumming in the folk band Fleet Foxes, released ‘Chloë and the Next 20th Century’, which feels like a love letter, with all its ache, sealed with a kiss. It is a spinning record of romance- or romance that once was- accompanied by orchestral gleaming and yearning. ‘Chloë’ transforms old-school show-like music into a modern tale for the ears. This album feels as if I were trapped in a silent noir film of the twenties but still enjoyed it while lounging in pearls and smoking a cigar. It’s great in all its dreamy, moony-glance, stary-eyed, ballroom dance-esque air. ‘Only A Fool’ is my favorite track on ‘Chloë,’ especially considering that I immediately imagined it to star in a ‘Toy Story’ movie. It’s got a warm, familiar feeling–a journey-ish, going downtown type bop to it. Lovers turning into strangers seems to be a common theme throughout the album hence ‘Only A Fool’ and ‘We Could Be Strangers’ for example. “Life can be cruel now and then, but I couldn’t fathom way back when how I’d long to have you,” Josh Tillman, the man behind Father John Misty, sings. This lyric compares their relationship from what it once was, to what it is now–seemingly nonexistent. The title ‘We Could Be Strangers’ hints at this theme explicitly inching toward the classic end of lovers. I absolutely adore ‘Funny Girl’ as its ending is beautiful, though the contents of the song may be poking fun at Hollywood and its philosophies. ‘Kiss Me (I Loved You)’ is purely
M
Courtesy of Amazon Music
yearnful even though its referred love is in the past, lingering. “Our dream ended like dreams do,” Tillman sings. ‘Olvidado (Otro Momento)’ sounds like soulful elevator music if elevator music could be soulful. “All I want to say is words have failed me many times before, but never so completely as with you,” sings Tillman. It’s the conclusion of feeling completely misunderstood in a romantic relationship. ‘(Everything But) Her Love’ is brilliantly pieced together with the feel of a waltz touched with the psychedelia of the sixties and seventies. It sounds rich in magic. ‘The Next 20th Century’ stands out the most on the album with its heavier guitar, progressing in the midst of the song, then transforming back into this glittery, charming feeling. This charming feeling reminds me of ‘Wicked Game’ by Chris Isaak somehow with its pulsing ambiance–almost like the background music of an 80s prom dance movie scene. There’s a groove hidden behind everything that gives it this mysterious, at times whimsical, tone. ‘Chloë and the Next 20th Century’ incorporates the tones of the jazz age and old Hollywood, type of music, which peeks through its occasional bleak lyrics as dreamy, alluring, and fascinating. It’s a sound I can’t get tired of. 9/10.
ississippi Rapper Devmaccc has released his third installment to his famed four twenty series with the latest project, ‘Four.Twenty: Sessions 3’. Dev’s latest addition to the ‘Four.Twenty’ sessions are catchy, impressive, emotional, and energetic, but describing the music isn’t enough to describe the artist. The 3 c’s that reside at the end of Maccc’s moniker, standing for cool, calm and collected are a good start for his character, but ‘Four.Twenty Sessions 3’ calls for the need for a fourth descriptor. The hard part is just picking what it would represent. The intro to the EP,‘Mill Preppin’,’ is a celebratory opener. Between going viral on Tiktok for his music, landing a performance at Jackson’s largest festival, and steadily improving his catalog, Maccc has reason to be joyous. A fourth “c” standing for confidence would surely fit him, especially when these victories come after the passing of family and tarnishing of friendships. But barely two minutes into the album and a new contender struckcautious. ‘Comfortable’ is the project’s second song and, if anything, a warning to himself and others. Action-packed with three verses, Maccc expertly raps through the dangers of his environment, being complacent and the ruts of isolation. The cold shoulder that raised Dev into the person he is worth a three-minute song of coolness and struggles. It’s almost ironic that its following records differ so much. ‘Too Hot’ and ‘Need It’ are cocky and there’s no other way to say it. Some of the pinnacles of rap music are a bit of braggadocio bars. It’s a necessary pinch of spice to the genre that Dev makes sure to include. Whether it’s a lock on the streets or a never-ending love,
Courtesy of Devmaccc
he’s cocky in flashing the pull and influence he’s earned in both. But between the two are ‘Closer’ ‘Creepin’ and ‘Stay Witchu’, crooning songs that appeal to Dev’s Casanova complex. He’s never shied from singing feelings and these odes to romance are no exception. It’s only when you near the project’s end that the perfect meaning for a fourth “c” presents itself. In the project’s closing song, ‘Control’, we’re presented with bare feelings spoken over the lush pluck of guitar chords. Grief, fear, anger, ambition, resentment, and desire are all balled into a near four-minute song with the admittance to lacking control over his feelings echoing eerily behind each verse. But control isn’t the word that comes to mind to represent Maccc- it’s crowned instead. The reason is that in the span of 23 minutes, the Jackson-native has packed a rollercoaster of emotion into a single project. There is no lack of quality or strive for mainstream, only a well-executed and multifaceted collection of songs that open you to the artist himself. Devmacccs proves to the listener that he is a master of self, prose, audio, and a man deserving the titles of rapper and wordsmith. His EP “Four.Twenty: Sessions 3’ is truly his best installment yet.
ENTERTAINMENT CORDAVEON CARTER PRINTZ REPORTER
APRIL 27,2022
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Carter’s Countdown: Top 100 Songs
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0. Tie Your Mother Down – Queen: To me, this song is the definition of rock with the electrifying guitar riff that starts the song by Brian May. John Deacon adds a sneaky groovy bass line into the song with the great chops of Roger on the drums. And the late great Mr. Freddie Mercury provides fiery and aggressive vocals fit for a song of this stature. Every time I hear this song I absolutely rock out and it makes my day 20 times better. 39. King Kunta – Kendrick Lamar: This song is so groovy with the bassline making it what it is. It captures the 70s/80s funk era with a modern twist on it, but it will guarantee you to move. Kendrick spitting bars on the amazing instrumental makes it all the better. To me, this is his best song ever and deserves a lot more recognition than it gets. 38. Fireflies – Owl City: This song incites nostalgia. When it comes on, I flashback to young me in 2009 jamming out to this with my brother. It’s most definitely on the soundtrack of my life. The production of “Fireflies” and the voice of Owl City made me fall in love with it and I am still honestly so in love with it despite the mes-
sage being kind of cloudy. It is just one of those songs you put on and scream the lyrics out loud. 37. Int’l Players Anthem – UGK: Shoutout to my stepdad for putting me on this absolute gem. This is one of the most beautiful rap songs ever made. The sample from ‘I Choose You’ by William Hutch builds the songs along with the Memphis trap that was trending in the 2000s. André 3000 murders his opening verse and is easily one of the most memorable verses in rap history. UGK and Big Boi also carried this song to success. 36. Slow Jamz – Kanye West: Kanye was in his bag when he created this masterpiece. With the perfect use of sampling and the great musical mind of Mr. West, the production makes this song addictive. Features from Jamie Foxx and Twista add more depth to the song. Jamie bodies with his beautiful voice that adds the R&B aspect to the song and Twista goes off on his verse of course rapping fast as he always does. ‘Slow Jamz’ is a tribute to old-school R&B from the 60s to the 90s. 35. Stay – Post Malone: Unlike his other songs, this once is unique and different. It is just him and his guitar which makes for such a great emotional ballad from Post. I honestly didn’t know he had
something like this in him but, he proved me wrong most definitely. This song describes a toxic relationship and everything that comes with including mental and physical abuse. It’s hands down his best song and the most vulnerable I have ever heard this man. ‘Fall Apart’ may have that title but this is better by far. 34. Thinkin Bout You – Frank Ocean: This is one of those songs that puts you back in a time machine. I remember my brother and I sitting in the living room listening to this incredible new artist named Frank Ocean. ‘Thinkin Bout You’ showcases love and how it affects the mind. Anybody can apply the lyrics to this song to a relationship they have been involved in. It’s so catchy and one of the best R&B songs of this generation. Frank provides powerful, yet emotional vocals and a beautiful falsetto. This song will put you in love with your significant other all over again but also leave you wondering. 33. Footsteps In the Dark, Parts 1 & 2 – The Isley Brothers: Your granddad’s favorite group of brothers. This song is what was beautiful about the ’70s music scene. It encapsulates the soul and funk which makes this an instant classic. It is one of the legendary cookout songs that will be for a long time to
come. The Isleys were absolutely in their bags with the pure musicianship and their beautiful vocals that made this song what it is. If you haven’t heard this song, you better before your grandma, get mad at you. 32. It Was a Good Day – Ice Cube: Now onto your dad’s favorite song. This is one of the earliest sources of sampling done right in hip-hop. What is Cube sampling you may ask? It is of course no other than No. 33 on this list, ‘Footsteps In the Dark’. Ice went off in the studio talking about why his day was so good, which includes him “dropping a triple-double” and “The Lakers beat the Supersonics”. When talking about some of the greatest rap songs of all time, this of course will always be one of them. 31. Moonlight – XXXTentacion: This is X’s best song and it is simply enjoyable. The production is strange but honestly is what makes the song unique. It was very different from what he usually did, which sold it for me and was instantly stuck in my head on repeat. He kills it with the melodic rapping and creates such a catchy chorus on a very electronic-heavy beat. The high spot on this list may be criticized, but it brings back too many memories not to be.
SPORTS
APRIL 27, 2022
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Southern Miss Baseball earns third consecutive series sweep DIMA MIXON PRINTZ REPORTER
S
outhern Miss swept Rice in three games for the team’s third consecutive series sweep and also tied the program’s longest winning streak at 14 games while doing so. Game One: Tanner Hall’s eight-inning outing fueled Southern Miss’ twelfth straight win by beating Rice 1-0 Friday. Hall started the game with seven straight strikeouts and it seemed like just another day at the office for him. “He was really good,” Head Coach Scott Berry said, “He strikes out the side in the first two innings and ends up with 13 on the night with only one walk. He showed his athleticism by getting off the mound on a couple plays to first. He picks a guy off at second in the seventh inning with one out. That’s a pretty special night for him.” Hall threw for his final line of eight innings played, three hits, 13 strikeouts on 103 pitches. “I was feeling confident in the bullpen and everything so going out I was pretty excited,” Hall said. Last season, it seemed like Hall would not pitch more than four to five innings, but he has consistently gone out and pitched seven to eight. “In the fall we started extending everything, I was going about five in our intrasquads and started feeling more comfortable and that was the plan all
along to stretch everything out and maintain those pitches and the ability to make them,” Hall said. The game was the classic pitcher’s duel. Southern Miss got the first hit of the game in the bottom of the first with a double by Dustin Dickerson. However, the Golden Eagles stranded him and Rice came up with their first base hit in the top of the fourth with a double. They went on to strand him at second. Southern Miss finally broke the tie when Dickerson hit a lead-off double. Reece Ewing advanced him to third base with a ground out. Then, Christopher Sargent bat him in with a sac-fly RBI. “We talk a lot about steady wins the race, going out and being consistent and you know being grateful for your abilities and don’t take them for granted,” Berry said. Southern Miss jumps to No. 4 in the country after another sweep. Sean Smith/Printz Game Two: Five runs in the fifth inning with no one out. pushed Southern Miss past Rice 6-3 Then came Isaiah Rhodes. Rhodes weekend. for their thirteenth straight victory downed three batters in a row to get “We were aided by some errors…. and their sixth consecutive series Southern Miss out of the inning with no and some hit by pitches. But you know, win. further damage. good teams capitalize on those things, However, the Golden Eagles had “He pitches on a different level. and if you’re not really good on the to battle for the win as Rice took an You know his mindset is different than mound then you’re not going to pitch early lead. anybody else.” Head Coach Scott Berry around those things.” Berry said. The turning point of the game said. “He is very intense but with that Southern Miss was excellent on the was in the top of the third. With the intensity comes a lot of confidence.” mound behind starting pitcher Hurston game tied at one apiece, Rice drove Rhodes earned the win in the game Waldrep. two runs across the plate to go up with a final line of three innings played, Waldrep, who did not have the 3-1. one hit, two walks and six strikeouts. strongest outing last week, pitched a Hunter Riggins, the Golden “I was confident last year that I could complete game due to the run rule. Eagle starter on the mound, was pitch and I got my chances here and His final line was seven innings, five taken out, leaving the bases loaded I ran with it for sure,” Rhodes said. “I hits, two errors, three walks, 12 strikehaven’t lost confidence. I have just been outs on a career-high 113 pitches. building confidence over the past year, “I kind of felt like I had a redempand since I’ve gotten here my confidence tion weekend after last weekend. But has only grown.” the teams coming in hot, playing good, The relief pitching for Southern Miss everyone is playing good. I just had a came in clutch as Drew Boyd and Dalton lot of confidence coming into today.” Rodgers all got opportunities on the Waldrep said. mound, and they didn’t allow any runs. Southern Miss got on the board first Southern Miss got going on the with Will McGillis credited for an RBI scoreboard with a solo home run by Will double in the second inning. McGillis in the bottom of the second Paetow scored on a fielder’s choice the bottom of the fifth is where the bats for a 2-0 lead in the third. came out. In the top of the fourth inning, Rice McGillis led off with a double, foltied the game with a two-run homer by lowed by a Charlie Fischer ground-rule Nathan Becker. double which plated McGillis. Paetow led off with a double in the Blake Johnson blasted a two-run bottom of the fifth, and Reece Ewing home run to left field, his first of the batted him in by getting a double of his year. Johnson has been out for most of own. the season due to a broken hand. Christopher Sargent got a single, “It was a good feeling me and the Ewing scored on a throwing error by coaches have been we’ve been working Rice and Danny Lynch tallied an RBI really hard on the swing to get back and single to plate Sargent for a 5-2 lead. just to finally pay off really helps me feel Dustin Dickerson and Ewing led off good,” Johnson said. with singles in the bottom of the sevAfter a pitch hit Reece Ewing, Gabe enth, and Sargent plated a runner with Montenegro plated both Ewing and an RBI single. Johnson for a two-RBI single to extend Gabe Montenegro reached on a the lead to 6-3. fielder’s choice error to score a run. Game Three: Lynch was credited with a sac-fly RBI The Golden Eagles were victorious before Paetow’s walk-off grand slam to after seven innings in the final game as win the game 12-2 Carson Paetow’s walk-off grand slam “I want people to understand that gave Southern Miss a final 12-2 lead. this is a totally different group. I think Paetow was three of four this afterwhat this group has that I haven’t had noon with four RBIs coming from the before is that when you get down to grand slam. the end, the chemistry is there. But this The Golden Eagles had 12 hits, chemistry was formed much earlier and which were the most they have had in I think you’re seeing that right now and the series. the benefits from it.” Berry said. Head Coach Scott Berry felt like it was their “strongest outing” of the