The highly-rated teenager's low drive took a heavy deflection off Black Cats skipper Steve Caldwell to give the Saints a deserved share of the spoils in a highly competitive and entertaining game at the Stadium of Light.
Southampton, who suffered a double blow when leading goalscorer Grzegorz Rasiak and Inigo Idiakez were ruled out through injury, impressed with swift counter-attacks in an entertaining encounter.
Rudi Skacel was well wide with a long-range effort while at the other end only a timely interception broke up a dangerous move involving Ross Wallace and David Connolly.
Graham Kavanagh was just too high with a fierce drive as the Black Cats kept up the pressure and, when the Saints replied, Skacel's pass to Bale on the overlap ended with the young full-back's cross just needing a touch in front of an open goal.
The Saints put together the best move of the first half, Mario Licka, Jermaine Wright linking up with Pedro Pele whose goal-bound shot was blocked at the expense of a corner.
Darren Ward saved in style from the impressive Skacel and seconds later kept the visitors out again with a fine save from Bale's 20-yard free-kick.
Bale's dangerous shot-cum-cross flashed across the face of the goal and it was nearer still in the 43rd minute when Ward again came to the rescue to deny Kenwyne Jones.
Sunderland huffed and puffed to find a way through a sound rearguard and should have gone ahead in the 44th minute when the overlapping Nyron Nosworthy supplied a dangerous centre only for Dean Whitehead to completely miss his kick.
Whitehead fared no better on the resumption when he failed to direct his header on target from Lewin Nyatanga's centre and in an end-to-end encounter, Ward saved well from Wright.
Nosworthy's surging runs down the right flank continued to be Sunderland's best ploy of forcing a way through and, from another fine centre, Whitehead headed wide.
Sunderland, however, eventually broke the deadlock from a set-piece in the 61st minute. Skacel was penalised for a challenge on Kavanagh and Wallace curled the free-kick just inside Davis' left-hand post.
Bradley-Wright Phillips made an instant impact, only a brilliant save by Ward from the substitute's close-range effort onto the bar preserving the lead. Stephen Elliott had a fine effort saved and Ward again denied the lively Wright-Phillips.
But Saints got the goal their perseverance deserved when Bale's low drive struck Caldwell and left Ward helpless.
Both sides went all out for a winner in the five minutes added on, but it would have been an injustice had either team won.