Ole Miss Baseball took down No. 21 Florida on Thursday, April 2 on the road 6-4. Shortstop Brayden Randle’s 2-run homer pushed the Rebels to victory after Taylor Rabe got the start and the bullpen held firm.
Third baseman Judd Utermark drew a walk and right fielder Tristan Bissetta singled to start off the day for the Rebels. Will Furniss, Collin Reuter and Dom Decker all struck out to end the inning.
Rabe went out for the Rebels and faced lead off hitter Kyle Jones. Jones ripped a single through the right side to get things started for the Gators. Jones stole second and Ethan Surowiec singled to bring in the first run, 1-0 Gators.
The Rebels had a chance to even things up in the second, but failed to cash in. The next frame for Rabe took just eleven pitches.
Bissetta and Furniss walked to put runners on with no outs for Reuter in the third. Reuter ripped one down the left field line for a double to score Bissetta and put Furniss on third.
Decker hit a hard grounder to score Furniss and move Reuter to third. Goldin singled to drive in another run to make 3-1 Rebels.
Rabe got into trouble in the third. He gave up a single and a walk, then, with one away, the Gators stole two bags to get both runners in scoring position. Rabe fielded a chopper to get the runner out at home and ended the inning with a fly out to center.
Catcher Austin Fawley singled to begin the fourth. Center fielder Hayden Federico popped out and Utermark struck out. The Gators made a pitching change and Fawley moved to third on a wild pitch and a passed ball.
Bissetta took a walk to put runners on the corners. Furniss had the chance to put more runs on the board, but flew out to end the inning.
Rabe pitched a 1-2-3 inning with two strike outs in the next frame.
Randle hit a 2-run homer to right in the fifth, his second long ball of the year, to give the Rebels a 5-1 lead.
In the bottom half of the inning, Rabe gave up a single, then Surowiec hit a 2-run homer to make it 5-3 and end Rabe’s day.
Rabe pitched four and two-thirds innings, allowed seven hits, gave up three earned runs, walked one and struck out six. Hudson Calhoun relieved Rabe and ended the inning quickly with a foul out.
Utermark doubled to lead off the sixth and Furniss doubled to swap places with him to make it 6-3 Rebels.
Calhoun gave up a single in the next frame, but got the next three batters out. In the seventh, he got two outs then gave up a single to end his day.
Calhoun earned the win and did not give up a run. Landon Waters replaced Calhoun and worked a fly out to end the bottom of the seventh.
Federico led the inning off with a single, but Utermark rolled into a double play to clear the bases. Bissetta and Furniss worked back-to-back walks to get a runner in scoring position, but a new Gator pitcher ended the inning with one pitch.
Walker Hooks replaced Waters and gave up a homer on a 2-2 pitch to make it 6-4. He walked the next batter on four pitches, then picked the runner off. After that, he settled in and got a groundout and strikeout to end the inning.
Hooks pitched a 1-2-3 ninth with two strikeouts to end the game.
What’s next?
Ole Miss looks to take the series against Florida tonight at 5:30. SEC Network+ will broadcast the game.
