JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI - Southwestern University Baseball took a 11-8 lead into the bottom of the seven before surrendering four runs which proved to be the difference in the regular season finale at Millsaps College, 12-11. The Pirates conclude 2026 at 9-31 overall and 5-16 in conference play. However, Southwestern was plagued by pitching injuries all season as the Pirates will return key arms next year and keep majority of the bats.
The squad leaned on senior
Tres Organ with the start in his final game as a Pirate. Senior
Connor Duffey, freshman
Connor Daley, and junior
Ben Feuer helped build a 4-1 lead. The Majors struck back with a six-run fourth inning to take a 7-4 lead.
The power bats came alive in the middle innings as Duffey doubled home a run, while junior
Owen Stevenson swatted his 12th home run of the season to tie the game at 7-7. The Pirates scrapped across four runs in the seventh on RBI singles from freshman
Alex Ervesun, sophomore
Chase Adams, and senior
Lucas Marlowe. However, the bullpen faltered in the bottom half of the seventh, allowing four runs as the Majors reclaimed a 12-11 lead.
The Majors bullpen was dominant in the final two innings, striking out six Pirates to hold onto the win by one run.
GAME NOTES
- Duffey finished his senior year in a poetic fashion with four hits as he led the squad this year with an even 50 hits.
- Junior Cale Cochran, Duffey, Ervesun, Stevenson, and Daley all finished with multi-hit days.
- The Pirates offense totaled 18 hits on the day with 41 on the series.
SEASON NOTES
- The Southwestern pitching staff had injury troubles all season, but managed to find high level starting pitching in spurts of the season with freshman Ben Roska, freshman Zane Heiliger, freshman Samuel Garcia, and sophomore Darion Rogers.
- Southwestern's primary lineup also only featured two seniors as many young bats gained pivotal experience.
- The squad averaged 6.4 runs scored per game on ten hits per game.
- Duffey led the team in hits, but six total Pirates had over 44 hits in Adams (49), Ervesun (47), Organ (45), Stevenson (44), and freshman Cory Mathews (44).
- Stevenson had a monster year in power with 12 home runs and a team-leading 39 RBI's.
- After today's home run, Stevenson officially cracked the top five all-time list for home runs in a single season at 12 among DIII era hitters only.
- The junior swatted the most home runs since 2001.
- Organ leaves campus as a Pirate legend with 147 career hits, 91 RBI's, 39 stolen bases, 47 innings pitched, and 45 strikeouts.
- Mathews led the squad on the bases with 19 bags in 2026.
- Rogers was a breakout pitcher with 56 innings after tossing two his freshman season. Rogers tossed two complete games.
- Roska had the most strikeouts with 44 on only 43 innings pitched.
