HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss used a three-run fourth inning to propel it to a 5-3 win over Louisiana Tech Saturday evening at the USM Softball Complex in game one of the three-game Conference USA series.

Tech (39-14, 17-5) enters Sunday's doubleheader against USM (30-19, 13-9) needing two wins to claim a regular season title and one win to clinch a double by in the upcoming C-USA Tournament in Birmingham next week. The contest will start at 12 p.m.

"I thought we played tight tonight," said Tech head coach Mark Montgomery. "I've told them that if they will bring their best to the field and play with no fear, then we can't ask for anything else. We can accept whatever our fate is as long as we play with the same passion and energy that we played with last weekend."

After USM grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, Tech responded in the top of the second inning. The Lady Techsters capitalized on a pair of errors, one walk and two hits to plate three runs and grab a 3-1 lead.

Tech tied the game at 1-1 on a throwing error by USM third baseman Tata Davis on a play at the plate. Kimmie Atienza then singled home a second run and a bases loaded walk to Morgan Turkoly forced home the third run of the inning.

Preslee Gallaway threw three innings of no-hit ball to start the game. However, in the bottom of the fourth inning, USM capitalized on five hits – two infield singles and two flare singles to shallow left field – and plated three runs to take a 4-3 lead.

USM added another run in the bottom of the fifth inning on a leadoff home run against Tech reliever Krystal De La Cruz.

Tech had an opportunity in the top of the seventh as Berkley Calapp led off with a single and one out later, Atienza was hit by a pitch. However, Turkoly's line drive up the middle was snared by USM pitcher Abby Trahan for the second out and then the final out was recorded on a strikeout.