With an early-morning start time Thursday in the opening round of the Conference USA Baseball Tournament, Southern Miss got out to an early lead against Western Kentucky and never looked back.
In a game that began at 12:15 a.m., the Golden Eagles scored four runs in the first inning and went on to beat the Hilltoppers 11-1 in eight innings at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park in Ruston, La.
WKU and Southern Miss were originally scheduled to meet Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the final game of the tournament's first round, but inclement weather delayed the start of the eight-team, double-elimination event two hours.