Ole Miss Baseball dropped its series to Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., from Friday, May 1 to Sunday, May 3. The Rebels suffered a seven-inning, run-rule 12-2 loss in game one, then exploded for a dominant 11-4 win in game two before the Razorbacks walked it off in the rubber match, 5-4.
Four Rebel homers, including a grand slam from designated hitter Collin Reuter, propelled Ole Miss to the game two win. Closer Walker Hooks was great in his two appearances, but did not have enough in the tank to get the last three outs on Sunday.
Game one
The Rebels lost 12-2 to begin the series against the Razorbacks. Two solo home runs late in the game from catcher Austin Fawley and third baseman Judd Utermark were the only offense for the Rebels.
Hunter Elliott got the start for Ole Miss. He entered this game with a 4.82 ERA and 75 strikeouts.
Arkansas’ TJ Pompey hit a three-run homer in the second inning. In the third, the Razorbacks came out swinging again with a two-run homer to extend the lead to 5-0.
In the top of the fourth, Elliott gave up his third homer of the game to end his day. Elliott pitched three innings, allowed five hits, gave up six runs, walked three and struck out two.
Landon Waters replaced Elliott and had a smooth fourth inning. Landon Koenig came into the game in the sixth and things got ugly. He allowed five runs, but only one was earned.
In the seventh inning, Arkansas doubled to score a run and end the game early by run-rule.
The lackluster Ole Miss offense came off homers from Utermark in the sixth and Fawley in the seventh.
Utermark’s homer was the 47th of his collegiate career and gave him sole possession of No. 2 on the all-time Ole Miss home run leaderboard.
Game two
The Rebels bounced against the Razorbacks with an 11-4 win on Saturday. Fawley, Reuter and outfielder Hayden Federico all had three hit days to help Ole Miss even the series.
Starter Cade Townsend went five ⅔ innings, struck out five, allowed two runs and only gave up three hits.
After going stale in game one, the Ole Miss offense brought the sticks out for game two and hopped on Razorback pitching early. Dom Decker started the game with a single, Tristan Bissetta followed with a walk and Will Furniss reached on an infield single to load the bases.
Federico singled to score Decker and moved everyone up 90 feet. Reuter hit a grand slam to put the Rebels up 5-0.
In the fourth inning, Fawley led off with a solo homer, good for his eighth of the year. Fawley stepped up in the top of sixth and launched another solo home run to make it 7-0.
The Razorbacks got to Townsend in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out two-run homer. Townsend walked the next batter and reliever Hudson Calhoun came into the game.
Calhoun walked the first man he faced, then the second batter reached on a dropped third strike that bounced away from the plate, but Ole Miss escaped the jam with a fielder’s choice.
In the seventh, Utermark started the inning with a single and Furniss launched a two-run homer to make it 9-2.
Arkansas hit two homers across the seventh and eighth innings. Closer Walker Hooks came in after Calhoun walked a batter in the eighth. The lefty ended the inning without further damage.
In the ninth inning, Utermark singled and stole second. Federico doubled to bring him in. Cannon Goldin came in to pinch run after Federico limped into second. Reuter singled to score Goldin, 11-4.
Hooks got the Razorbacks out 1-2-3 in the ninth to set up a Sunday rubber match.
Game three
Ole Miss lost on a walk-off two-run homer in the ninth on Sunday. Razorback Christian Turner hit the game-winning homer off Hooks to take the series from the Rebels.
Arkansas got on the board in the first with an RBI single to make it 1-0. Furniss led off the second with a single, then Federico reached on an error. Owen Paino launched a three-run shot to left field to put Ole Miss up, 3-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, Rebel starter Taylor Rabe allowed a solo homer to cut the lead to 3-2. Rabe’s day was done after the fifth. He pitched five innings, allowed five hits, gave up two earned runs, walked two and struck out seven.
JP Robertson replaced Rabe in the sixth and gave up a homer to tie the game. Hooks came in to relieve Robertson in the seventh. He inherited a two on, nobody out jam.
Arkansas bunted for the first out of the inning, but advanced both runners into scoring position. Hooks intentionally walked the next batter, then struck out the next two to keep the game tied.
Utermark put the Rebels ahead with his 48th collegiate home run in the eighth. The solo homer tied the all-time Rebel home run record. Hooks went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
In the ninth, head coach Mike Bianco kept Hooks on the mound to close the game. After a lengthy at-bat, he allowed the first batter to reach off a single. He also had trouble putting away the next man up, Turner.
Hooks allowed a two-run, walk-off homer from Turner to end the game.
What’s next?
Ole Miss will take on Texas A&M this weekend at home from Friday, May 8 to Sunday, May 10. SEC Network+ will broadcast the games.
