HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southeast Missouri (0-5) carried a shutout through five innings, but Southern Mississippi (4-1) scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to come away with a 5-2 victory on the final day of the Black & Gold Challenge Sunday.
 
Maddie Carney was strong in the circle keeping USM off the board until she gave way to Willow Van Haren with runners on first and second and no outs in the sixth.
 
After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runners, Katalina Ybarra hit a pinch-hit double to tie the game. A two-RBI triple by Nealy McManus dropped into center field and Olivia Christian followed with a run-scoring single giving the Golden Eagles a 5-2 advantage.
 
USM was 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position prior to its late rally.
 
Kayla Giardina pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh to pick up her first save of the season.
 
SEMO took an early 2-0 lead on a two-run home run by Gracie Luna in the top of the second. Kinley Wilkins singled before Luna ripped her teams' first home run of the season over the left field wall. For Luna, it was the 11th long ball of her career.
 
Carney allowed two runs on four hits, struck out two and walked three in five innings.
 
Van Haren (0-2) gave up three runs and four hits in one-third of an inning out of the bullpen.
 
Madilyn Graham (1-0) claimed her first win in relief. Graham worked four scoreless innings with one strikeout and two hits allowed.
 
Five different Redhawks, including Kamden Hutton, Brooklyn Saysoff, Aubrie Shore, Luna and Wilkins had a hit.
 
SEMO returns to action when it heads to the East Texas A&M Lion Invitational Feb. 12-14.