Ole Miss Baseball took the series against Kentucky on Saturday, March 21 at Swayze Field with a 12-9 win. They won game one on Thursday, March 19 with a 5-0 shutout victory, but faltered on Friday, March 20 in a 3-1 loss thanks to defensive mistakes.
First baseman Will Furniss’ two-run single on Saturday was the series-clinching hit for the Rebels.
Game one
Right fielder Tristan Bissetta led the way for the Rebels with two home runs and starter Hunter Elliott pitched into the seventh inning in game one against the Wildcats.
Kentucky started with a well-placed pop-up that found itself between Furniss and Bissetta. The runner took second on what was almost a strike-’em-out-throw-’em-out. Elliott came back and got two more outs to leave a man in scoring position.
The Rebels wasted no time jumping on Kentucky early. Center fielder Hayden Federico got things started with a single. The red-hot bat of Bissetta followed with an opposite-field home run to put the Rebels up 2-0.
Elliott continued to cruise and had another clean inning in the top of the third, collecting his third strikeout of the game.
Ole Miss had a chance to score in the next frame, but they continued their trend of stranding runners. Furniss struck out looking and Tate Sirmans grounded out to third with runners on.
Kentucky’s offense continued to struggle against Elliott after a couple of groundouts and a slick pickoff move that caught Kentucky’s catcher sleeping.
Bissetta woke up the crowd with a lead-off opposite field homer, his second of the game and 13th of the season, that extended the lead to 3-0 in the fifth.
Elliott rolled through the top of the sixth, sending three straight batters back to the dugout and collecting his sixth strikeout.
Catcher Austin Fawley ripped a double down the left field line and shortstop Brayden Randle drove him in with a triple to give the Rebels a 4-0 lead.
Elliott came back out for the seventh and got one out before head coach Mike Bianco took him out of the game. He gave up no runs on six strikeouts in 6 ⅓ innings. Taylor Rabe came in for relief and kept the shutout going.
Rabe came back in the top of the eighth and made quick work of the Wildcats, striking out the side. Furniss homered in the bottom of the eighth to extend the Rebels’ lead to 5-0.
Rabe shut the door in the ninth to give the Rebels their first home SEC win of the season and second overall.
“We didn’t come out with the series win last week, but getting that first win tonight is huge and tomorrow is swing day so we gotta come out and hopefully take the series tomorrow,” Bissetta said in a postgame interview.
Game two
Kentucky starter Jaxon Jelkin was lights out against the Rebels on Friday night. His lone blemish was a solo home run to Fawley. A poor defensive fourth inning by Ole Miss gave the game away.
Hudson Calhoun got the start for the Rebels after Cade Townsend went down with a shoulder injury. Calhoun got the day started off right by striking out Kentucky lead-off hitter Jayce Tharnish.
Furniss started off the bottom of the second with a walk, but Jelkin induced a ground ball double play from Reuter and Ole Miss went down quietly after that.
Cannon Goldin got the start in left field for the Rebels and started the third with a knock up the middle. Jelkin struck out Fawley and got Randle to ground into a double play to end the frame.
Kentucky shortstop Luke Lawrence started the fourth inning by hitting a laser to center field off a hanging off-speed pitch. Federico made a diving attempt on the ball, but it bounced out of his glove after he hit the ground, allowing Lawrence to get to second.
Kentucky designated hitter Tyler Bell kept the train going with a single to left to put runners on first and third.
Federico had a shot at redemption when Kentucky first baseman Hudson Brown hit a catchable line drive to left center, but Federico could not squeeze the glove and the ball popped out.
The runner on third scored easily and a second run followed after Randle threw to third when the Kentucky runner was halfway down the baseline, which did not give third baseman Judd Utermark enough time to make a throw home. The mental error led to the game-winning run.
Calhoun got the next two batters via the strikeout; however, Bissetta kept the inning going after missing a catchable deep fly ball to the right center warning track. Bissetta looked to have a bead on it, but the ball found the ground, leading to an RBI triple to make it 3-0.
After walking a batter, Bianco pulled Calhoun. The starter gave up three unfortunate runs, but just one was earned. JP Robertson came in for relief and struck out the next batter to end the threat.
Robertson had a strong relief outing. He pitched 3 ⅓ innings, struck out four and did not allow a hit.
Fawley jumped on the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth and sent it over the left center fence for his second home run of the season, giving the Rebels their first run of the night to make it 3-1.
Randle followed with a single to left. After a Federico pop-out, Bissetta walked, setting up Utermark with runners on first and second. Jelkin battled back from a 3-1 count to strike out Utermark. Furniss then flew out to the left field warning track to end the inning.
Landon Waters came in relief for the Rebels in the top of the eighth. He struck out two and had some help from Fawley, who caught a runner stealing.
After two quick outs in the bottom of the ninth, Kentucky reliever Nile Adcock hit Reuter and walked second baseman Dom Decker. Luke Romine came in to pinch hit for Goldin, but he was unable to get it done for the Rebels and struck out to end the game.
Game three
The Rebels won the rubber match on Saturday to clinch their first SEC series of the season with a 12-9 victory.
Wil Libbert got the start and walked the first two batters he saw. Kentucky capitalized with a two-run double from Brown. After 35 pitches, Ole Miss ended the frame, and a bases-loaded jam, down 2-0.
Reuter got the first hit of the day for the Rebels in the second with a hard-hit line drive to right center for a double. Left fielder Daniel Pacella hit a weak ground ball to third that should have ended the inning, but Wildcat third baseman Caeden Cloud let it go between his legs and Reuter scored from second to make it 2-1.
Fawley extended the inning with a single up the middle, but Randle grounded out to end the threat.
The Rebels were in prime position to have a big inning in the fourth after a double from Furniss and back-to-back walks loaded the bases with no outs.
Pacella hit a grand slam to take a 5-2 lead. Fawley followed with another walk. The Wildcats had not recorded an out in the inning before pulling starter Nate Harris and bringing in Jack Bennett, who ended the frame for Kentucky.
“That guy (Daniel Pacella) has been one of the best teammates I think I’ve ever had,” Furniss said in a postgame interview. “He, obviously, has not played as much as he wanted to, and done as well as he wanted too, but he comes in the locker room everyday with a smile on his face and he’s one of the greatest teammates ever.”
Libbert allowed the first two batters of the fifth to reach on a hit by pitch and a single, then Bianco took him out of the game. He pitched four innings, gave up five hits, walked four and allowed four earned runs (both of the runners he left on base scored after he was taken out of the game).
Landon Koenig, who usually pitches later in ball games, came in for relief and walked his first batter to load the bases with no outs. He struck out Cloud then allowed a go-ahead grand slam to left fielder Carson Hansen to give Kentucky a 6-5 lead.
Three straight singles added another run and took Koenig out of the game. Left hander Walker Hooks came into the game hoping to get the Rebels out of the jam.
For the second time in the series, a Rebel outfielder, this time Pacella, made a diving play, but could not hang on to the ball. Kentucky extended their lead to 8-5. Hooks finally ended the frame with back-to-back strikeouts.
In the sixth, Pacella got hit by a pitch and reached for the third time, then Fawley drew his second walk to get a Rebel in scoring position. Randle laid down a bunt to advance the runners and nearly beat the throw to first.
Federico hit a sacrifice fly to get Ole Miss within two. Utermark lined out sharply with a runner on third to end the inning.
The Wildcats brought in a new reliever in the seventh and Bissetta immediately helped the Rebels cut the deficit with a solo homer, 8-7. Furniss followed with a single and Reuter reclaimed the lead with a two-run shot.
Wildcat reliever Burkley Bounds came into the game and shut down the Rebels, but the damage was done.
Bell tied the game up at 9-9 in the eighth with a solo homer.
Randle started the bottom of the inning with a double. Federico moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt. Utermark walked and Kentucky intentionally walked Bissetta to load the bases for Furniss.
The Wildcats brought in right hander Ira Austin IV to face the lefty. Furniss came through with a two-run single to take an 11-9 lead. Bissetta advanced to third on a bad throw to the plate and Reuter cashed in with a sacrifice fly to extend the lead.
Hooks stayed in to get the save in the ninth and got three straight outs to secure the win. He pitched 4 ⅔ innings and only allowed one run.
What’s next?
Ole Miss Baseball will play Memphis on the road on Tuesday, March 24 at 6 p.m. ESPN+ will broadcast the game.
After that, they welcome in-state rival Mississippi State to Swayze Field from Friday, March 27 to Sunday, March 29.
