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1 month 1 week ago
Photo by Russ Cloy, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
It was only fitting that a series that felt more like a Super-Regional in June than an opening weekend in February ended in chaos.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth and the crowd at Pete Taylor Park on its feet, Matthew Russo never saw a strike. UC Santa Barbara reliever Nic Peterson missed four times, and Russo raised his arms as Seth Smith touched home plate, giving Southern Miss a 6-5 walk-off victory to clinch a dramatic opening weekend series against UCSB.
By DIMA MIXON on
1 month 2 weeks ago
Photo by Jacob Brumfield, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
Southern Miss evened its weekend series with UC Santa Barbara on Saturday afternoon at Pete Taylor Park, using a late two-run home run from Joey Urban and five scoreless innings from its bullpen to secure an 8-6 victory.
“I thought our guys competed hard,” Southern Miss head coach Christian Ostrander said. “Really good arm on the mound again. We knew it was going to be a fight coming into it. They got the lead and it didn’t look good, but our guys kept competing and we were able to put some things together.”
By DIMA MIXON on
1 month 2 weeks ago
Photo by Jacob Brumfield, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
Jackson Flora was everything he was advertised to be in his 2026 debut. He pitched six innings, allowing just three hits with no runs and no walks.
“Got to give credit where credit is due,” Southern Miss head coach Christian Ostrander said. “Their guy pitched really well, as advertised. That’s a really good arm. We kept it close for the most part until that two-run home run there in the ninth inning.”
By DIMA MIXON on
1 month 2 weeks ago
Photo by Amanda D. Lee, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
City, county and State leaders break ground on the new $30 million Recreation and Sports Event Center at Monday morning’s groundbreaking ceremony.
City, county and State leaders gathered on Monday morning to break ground on the new Recreation and Sports Event Center, located in Tatum Park. Upon completion of the project, the facility will be donated to the City of Hattiesburg for public use. Funding for this project is provided by anonymous donors through the Pinebelt Foundation.
By Amanda D. Lee on
1 month 2 weeks ago
Funeral homes may submit obituaries to obits@hubcityspokes.com. Death notices are printed free of charge; obituaries with photos and detailed information will incur a charge. For assistance, call (601)-268-2331.
Agnes Hayes Barksdale (87) of Hattiesburg passed away on February 8, 2026. Moore Funeral Service is handling the arrangements.
Bettye Jean Roberson Blackwell (95) of Hattiesburg passed away on February 3, 2026. Moore Funeral Service is handling the arrangements.
Sheryl June Breland (80) of Purvis passed away on February 2, 2026. Hulett-Winstead Funeral Home handled the arrangements.
By Staff reports on
1 month 2 weeks ago
Jail dockets for Forrest and Lamar counties are provided to the Pine Belt News as a public records service. Arrest records are current for the week prior to publication.
Hattiesburg Police:
Gregory Javonta Barnes- DUI (first offense)
Ronald Demario Berry- careless driving, eluding law enforcement, probation violation, no proof of liability insurance
Ivan Eric Bush- possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle, DUI (first offense)
Andre Germaine Carter- contempt of court
Kenneth Andre Chandler- fugitive of other jurisdiction (Stone County)
Christopher Clark- contempt of court
By Staff reports on
1 month 2 weeks ago
Hear Ye! Year Ye! The Hattiesburg Zoo is transporting guests back in time with its 10th Annual Renaissance Festival, which will take place Saturday, February 28th and Sunday, March 1st. Visitors of all ages are invited to step into a world of medieval merriment filled with hearty treats, lively performances, and immersive hands-on activities.
Throughout the two-day festival, guests can experience:
Live Medieval Entertainment
By Lisa S. Conn on
1 month 2 weeks ago
Forrest General Hospital will stage a large-scale Mass Casualty Emergency Preparedness Drill on the morning of February 13 on the grounds surrounding FGH. This multi-agency drill will be used to test emergency response procedures and coordination with community partners, including the Mississippi State Department of Health, Hattiesburg Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services, AAA Ambulance, and our local Emergency Operations Center.
By Staff reports on
1 month 2 weeks ago
Photo by Jesse Johnson, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
The 2026 Southern Miss pitching staff has all the makings as being one of the best staffs that Christian Ostrander has ever had at Southern Miss. On top of that, with the addition of bringing over pitching coach Gunner Leger from Louisiana to help out, this staff is loaded with talent and arms.
While this staff may not have a MLB prospect like JB Middleton on the bump on Friday night’, the 6-14 pitchers are deeper than potentially Ostrander has ever had.
By DIMA MIXON on
1 month 2 weeks ago
Photo by Russ Cloy, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
In a game that felt more like a playoff matchup than opening day, runs were scarce and, in the end, just one swing made the difference.
Easton Giger launched a two-run home run over the wall in right field just a few pitches after Sumrall ace Drew Davis exited the game, lifting Petal to a 2-1 victory in a classic season opener that featured just four combined hits and 21 strikeouts between the two teams.
By DIMA MIXON on
1 month 2 weeks ago
‘You don’t have to be perfect to make an impact,’
The Hattiesburg High School’s choir program is continuing to gain national accolades as their director, Gary McCullum, earns a nomination for the 2027 Grammy Music Educator Award. For McCullum, the recognition is less about trophies and more about transformation- proof that intentional teaching and belief in students can resonate far beyond their practice and performance spaces.
By Amanda D. Lee on
1 month 3 weeks ago
Photo by Russ Cloy, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
Southern Miss softball used 11 hits to slug its way to an 8-0 run-rule victory over Southeast Missouri Redhawks on Friday to open the 2026 season.
Kayla Giardina got the start in the circle for the Golden Eagles and allowed a leadoff single before sitting down three straight Redhawks.
“We were really proud of Kayla coming out and setting a tone for us on the mound,” Southern Miss head coach Natalie Poole said. “After that, we were really able to see our offense get after it right away.”
By DIMA MIXON on
1 month 3 weeks ago
Photo by Hattiesburg Athletics, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
Photo courtesy of Hattiesburg Athletics
Hattiesburg head baseball coach Brent Barham is stepping aside from his head coaching role before the 2026 baseball season starts, a source told the Pine Belt News.
Barham was entering his 22nd year at the school, and sixth year as a head coach. His career record was 61-66.
Chris Bedenbaugh has been named interim head coach of the Hattiesburg High School Tigers Baseball Team, Hattiesburg schools announced.
By Staff reports on
1 month 3 weeks ago
Southern Miss head football coach Blake Anderson knew when he took the job a couple of months ago just how difficult the first few weeks would be.
After former head coach Charles Huff left for Memphis and took a substantial portion of the roster with him — along with more than 30 seniors out of eligibility — the Golden Eagles were left with a roster in dire straits.
By DIMA MIXON on
1 month 3 weeks ago
Photo by Amanda D. Lee, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
Representatives of the Area Development Partnership present a proposal to the council on the benefits of adding two additional central business districts to the city.
The Hattiesburg City Council meetings held on Monday and Tuesday evenings played host to presentations with promise of improvements for the Hub City. A public hearing was held to discuss the state of several properties within the city limits as to whether they were in a state that could risk the health and safety of the community.
By Amanda D. Lee on
1 month 3 weeks ago
Jail dockets for Forrest and Lamar counties are provided to the Pine Belt News as a public records service. Arrest records are current for the week prior to publication.
Hattiesburg Police:
Khinde Donnell Allen- possession of paraphernalia, speeding
Meredith Austin- burglary (commercial buildings, cars, etc.)
Taniyah Sharelle Brown- domestic violence (simple assault), violation of home detention/house arrest program
Dentiny N. Carr- school attendance requirement
Santana Davenport- arson (first degree)
Peyton Douglas Duncan- DUI (first offense)
By Staff reports on
1 month 3 weeks ago
Photo special to the Pine Belt News from Southern Miss Athletics
It was a familiar story — until it wasn’t.
Southern Miss women’s basketball once again staged a fierce rally after trailing by as many as 17 points, but this time the comeback fell short. The Lady Eagles dropped an 83-72 decision to James Madison on Wednesday night at Reed Green Coliseum.
By DIMA MIXON on
1 month 3 weeks ago
Photo by Dima Mixon, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
PCS celebrated a joyous signing day on Wednesday as six-student athletes officially signed to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level.
Surrounded by family, teammates and coaches, the signees put pen to paper in a ceremony that highlighted not only individual accomplishments, but the continued growth of PCS athletics.
By DIMA MIXON on
1 month 3 weeks ago
The University of Southern Mississippi
By Mike Lopinto on
1 month 3 weeks ago
Murals are one of the oldest art forms in human history. A team of archaeologists recently discovered a faded hand outline on a cave wall in Indonesia, dating back at least 67,800 years. Let that sink in for a moment. Quick math tells us that someone made that mural 65,774 years before Jesus Christ. Most likely, ancestors to indigenous Australians lived in a dark cave on a remote island and for expression, they used earth-based raw materials to make art on rock.
By Clark Hicks on
