Hunter Slater, Daniel Keating lead the Southern Miss charge in win over Eastern Michigan

Southern Miss rallied from a three-run deficit to pick up a 9-4 win over Eastern Michigan Friday.

In the second game of the Cox Diamond Invitational at Pensacola, Florida, Hunter Slater and Daniel Keating drove in two runs apiece, helping the 16th-ranked Golden Eagles improve to 7-2 this season. Slater finished with three hits to lead the offense.

Stevie Powers (2-0) established new career-highs with eight strikeouts over six innings. The junior left-hander gave up three runs on seven hits, walking just one.

Eastern Michigan (1-8) took a 3-0 lead in the third inning, capitalizing on five hits and a balk. But Southern Miss answered in the top of the fourth, scoring four times to take a 4-3 lead. The Golden Eagles added a single run in the fifth and four more in the seventh.

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Mason Strickland (who gave up an unearned run in the seventh), Adam Jackson and Keller Bradford each provided Scott Berry’s club with an inning of relief.

Southern Miss faces Ohio State (6-3) at 3 p.m. Saturday. The Buckeyes beat Nicholls State 6-3 earlier Friday. Nick Sandlin (2-0, 0.00) is scheduled to start for the Golden Eagles, while Ohio State is expected to send out right-hander Ryan Feltner (1-0, 6.55).