HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Missouri State held Southern Miss to four hits in Friday's series opener but was held scoreless after the fourth inning and done in by seven walks issued by the pitching staff, four of which came around to score to help the Golden Eagles to a 4-3 victory at Pete Taylor Park.

The Bears (3-2) struck first thanks to Jake McCutcheon's leadoff single in the third and a pair of two-out RBI doubles from Logan Chambers and Caden Bogenpohl for a 2-0 lead.

Southern Miss (5-1) responded immediately by loading the bases with walks to end starter Michael Lindsey's day. The Golden Eagles capitalized with two sacrifice flies followed by a pop up to shallow center that landed amongst four MSU defenders for an RBI double and 3-2 score.

Zack Stewart launched a tying home run to lead off the fourth, and the score remained tied 3-3 until the bottom of the eighth thanks to MSU relievers Eric Loomis and Tyler Charlton each posting scoreless two-inning efforts from the bullpen before Garrett Ferguson took over in the seventh.

A leadoff walk doomed the Bears once again in the bottom of the eighth, with the home team getting the go-ahead double from Seth Smith to lead 4-3.

Nick Rodriguez led off the MSU ninth with a single and was sacrificed to second, and the next three Bears to bat were unable to come up with the tying hit.

McCutcheon and Stewart each had two hits for the Bears, who held an 8-4 lead in that category, but USM pitching issued only two walks and did not hit a batter.

The series continues at 1 p.m. Saturday.