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HATTIESBURG — The Southern Miss softball team welcomes the Mississippi State Bulldogs to Hattiesburg for a midweek matchup this Wednesday. The Golden Eagles are set to face off with their fourth in-state foe of the season and look to build momentum heading into a road conference series this weekend.

The Golden Eagles last took the field on March 29 for a doubleheader against Jackson State on the road. Southern Miss (20-15, 1-8 C-USA) swept the twin bill, winning a close first tilt, 5-3 before dominating the Lady Tigers in five innings by a score of 11-0. The Black & Gold outhit JSU 20-10 over the two contests.

Graduate outfielder Destini Brown racked up five stolen bases through both games against Jackson State, including four in game one, which tied a career high. Rycca Hinton gave Southern Miss a critical home run, the first of her career, in the first game to lead the Golden Eagles to victory.

The Black & Gold will take on its third opponent from the Southeastern Conference of 2022. Southern Miss previously matched up with the Florida Gators and Alabama Crimson Tide in March. The Golden Eagles defeated the No. 4 Gators in a stunning upset on the road on March 2 and fell to No. 3 Alabama at home on March 15.

Mississippi State travels to Hattiesburg with a record of 24-12, which includes a 4-5 mark on the road. The Bulldogs are 5-4 in SEC competition, including a win over Florida and a sweep of Ole Miss in March. Mississippi State is led by third-year head coach Samantha Ricketts.

The Golden Eagles and Bulldogs have squared off 51 times in a series that dates back to 1983. Mississippi State holds a commanding 38-13 lead over Southern Miss, which includes a 20-2 record in Hattiesburg. The Black & Gold will travel to Starkville, Miss. for another meeting with the Bulldogs on April 27.

Junior pitcher Morgan Leinstock has had a heavy workload in the circle this season for the Golden Eagles. The Scottsdale, Ariz. native has pitched the third-most innings in the nation, with 136.2 frames completed this season. Offensively, Brown has been a constant threat when on base, as her 26 stolen bases rank fifth in the nation and first in Conference USA.

The Golden Eagles welcome Mississippi State to the Southern Miss Softball Complex on Wednesday, April 6. First pitch is set for 6 p.m., and fans can grab their tickets at SouthernMissTickets.com or tune in live at CUSA.tv or at 92.7 FM The Score.

Follow the Southern Miss softball team on social media, @SouthernMissSB on Twitter, @southernmisssb on Instagram and at facebook.com/SouthernMissSB.