Southern Miss Baseball Fever: Walters, Tonsmeire and Maranto Homer in Friday's Scrimmage

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss baseball fever does not check the calendar. It might only be September, but there was plenty happening at Pete Taylor Park on Friday afternoon to make the wait for next season feel a little longer.

The team began its 2:30 p.m. intrasquad scrimmage with pitchers and hitters getting their fall work in. By the end, Team Gold beat Team Black 9-3, with three players hitting homers. Freshman Bankston Walters from PCS provided some good moments on both sides of the ball.

Walters makes his mark twice

Southern Miss Baseball, Bankston Walters — Bankston Walters shows emotion on the mound for PCS. | Bankston Walters | Instagram: @bankstonhays_walters

Walters took the mound in the bottom of the first inning and worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam, allowing no runs after a leadoff single and two walks. Later, he made his loudest contribution with a two-run homer to right-center field in Team Gold's four-run fourth inning. TrackMan put the drive at 428 feet and 109 mph off the bat.

Gavin Smith set the table for that swing. William Tonsmeire reached on an infield single and stole second, Gray Eubanks was hit by a pitch, and Smith brought both runners home with a hard single to left field. His hit was also recorded at 109 mph off the bat.

Walters' two-run shot followed, turning an already productive inning into the biggest offensive burst of the scrimmage.

Plenty of hard contact

Southern Miss Baseball — Southern Miss Golden Eagles outfielder William Tonsmeire (4) walks out of the dugout against the Georgia Southern Eagles at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg, Miss. on Saturday, May 16, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Tonsmeire got the home run hitting started in the second inning. After Ty Long singled, Tonsmeire sent a two-run shot to left field that traveled an estimated 366 feet. Eubanks followed with a hard single.

Team Black's biggest response came in the sixth. Brady Waugh and Davis Gillespie opened the rally with hard singles, Cannon Peery brought home a run on a groundout, and Braden Maranto hit a 350-foot, two-run homer to right field. Waugh's single was recorded at 106 mph off the bat, while Gillespie's came off at 108 mph.

Luke Williams brings the heat

Southern Miss Baseball, Luke Williams — Luke Williams throws a pitch for East Central Community College. | East Central Community College Athletics

The bats supplied most of the highlights, but Luke Williams from East Central Community College made a strong first impression on the mound. He retired all three batters he faced in the fifth, getting a flyout from Lawson Odom before striking out Trey Barnes and Henry Abt. One of the pitches that struck out Barnes was clocked at 96 mph.

It was only one fall scrimmage, but there was plenty for baseball-hungry Southern Miss fans to enjoy on Friday. There will be another Southern Miss baseball scrimmage on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. as well.

The first chance to see the Golden Eagles in action against another team will be on Oct. 10 in the Hancock Whitney Classic against Mississippi State at Keesler Federal Park in Biloxi.

And if that still feels too far away, keep an eye on Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI next week. We have some extra special Southern Miss baseball content coming your way.

Add us as a preferred source on Google