TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Gabe Montenegro had a season-high three hits, including a two-run go-ahead double in the seventh, to lead Southern Miss to a 5-4 non-conference baseball victory over No. 23 Alabama Tuesday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

Down 4-3 in the seventh, Danny Lynch led off with a walk. After a bunt single by Will McGillis, the Golden Eagles made two-straight outs before Montenegro lined a Grayson Hitt pitch down into the rightfield corner to plate the two runs. He tried to stretch it into a triple but was thrown out on the play.

That was the second comeback for Southern Miss as they fell behind 2-0 early. The Golden Eagles initially rallied for three runs in the sixth.

Dustin Dickerson led the surge with a one-out single. After a bunt single by Montenegro, Reed Trimble drove in a run with a single through the right side. Charlie Fischer then followed with an RBI groundout before Trimble helped Southern Miss take the lead on a wild pitch.

The Crimson Tide got on the board with a run in the second inning. Reliever Gabe Shepard walked three straight batters to open the inning. After going to the bullpen to get Chandler Best, Owen Diodati singled in a run.

Best, though, then got two strikeouts and a lineout to left to limit the inning’s damage.

UA added to its lead with another solo run in the fifth. Peyton Wilson collected a one-out double that kicked off of right fielder Slade Wilks’ glove and he scored one batter later on a suicide squeeze bunt by Jim Jarvis.

Alabama retook the lead 4-3 in the sixth on a two-run, pinch-hit double by Will Potota.

Blake Wehunt, the seventh of 10 Southern Miss pitchers allowed two runs on three hits with a strikeout to earn the victory and improve to 1-0. Garrett Ramsey pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his seventh save. The Golden Eagle pitching staff combined to fan 13 Crimson Tide hitters.

Hitt, who allowed two runs on two hits with a walk and a strikeout over 1 2/3 innings suffered the loss and fell to 1-1.

The Golden Eagles (13-6) will begin C-USA play this week with a home weekend series versus Louisiana Tech beginning Friday.

OLE MISS 5, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 2 

Justin Bench was 3-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored for Ole Miss as the Rebels edged Central Arkansas Tuesday.

Jacob Gonzalez, Tim Elko and Hayden Dunhurst each had a home run for the Rebels, and Dunhurst finished 2-for-3 with a walk. Josh Mallitz got the win for Ole Miss, pitching three innings and giving up an unearned run on three hits while striking out three. 

Taylor Broadway picked up the save for the Rebels with a scoreless ninth inning, striking out three. 

Ole Miss (17-4, 3-0) is scheduled to play at Alabama for a weekend series beginning Thursday.