The Rebels welcomed Austin Peay to Swayze Field on Tuesday. They won the midweek contest 6-3.
The Governors are 34-10 this season and came into Oxford on a seven-game win streak.
After Ole Miss got a double play to end the top of the first, they threatened in the bottom half with two runners on. Judd Utermark was unable to drive in the game’s first run and fouled out to the catcher.
In the bottom of the second, Austin Peay left-handed pitcher Chance Cox struck out the first two Rebels before Austin Fawley took him deep to make it 1-0.
Governor nine-hole hitter Keaton Cottam reached first base on a dropped third strike to open the third. On the next pitch, he stole second on a ball in the dirt. Then, to make things worse, Rebel starter Cade Townsend threw the ball into center field on a pick off attempt, and Cottam advanced to third.
The three mistakes led to the leadoff hitter driving in the tying run on a sac fly.
Austin Peay batter Cameron Nickens led off the fourth with a double that Rebel center fielder Isaac Humphrey could not quite track down. Cole Johnson put the Governors up by two with a long home run to center later in the inning.
In Will Furniss’ second at bat, he got a hit to the opposite field and beat the shift for a single. Fawley followed up with a single to center to put runners on first and second with only one out, but Humphrey, and shortstop Luke Cheng failed to drive in any runs. The game was 3-1 Governors after four.
Townsend plunked a batter to open the fifth. The runner advanced on a bunt, and Brayden Jones came in to relieve Townsend. The freshman pitched 4.1 innings, allowed three hits, gave up three runs (two earned) and had four strikeouts.
Jones retired the next two batters via a popout and punch out. The Rebels went quiet in the fifth. Jones struck out the side in the top of the sixth to give the home team some much needed momentum.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Rebels were still down 3-1. Ryan Moerman smoked a ball right up the middle, nearly drilling Cox. Moerman reached first without a throw to give Ole Miss a runner on base, but Furniss grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Ryne Rodriguez came in to relieve Jones in the seventh. The left hander faced one batter, a lefty, and then head coach Mike Bianco pulled him for righty Landon Waters, who made quick work of the Governors.
In the bottom of the inning, Fawley got his third hit of the game with a single to center on a full count. Humphrey popped out to shortstop and Collin Reuter pinch hit for Cheng to provide an offensive spark.
Fawley advanced to single on a wild pitch, and Reuter doubled to make it a 3-2 ballgame. The double gave the Rebels their first hit with runners in scoring position.
Owen Paino came in to pinch run for Reuter, and Luke Hill drove him home with a single to center to tie the game.
Cox walked an Ole Miss batter, and the Governor skipper had seen enough. He pulled the lefty after 6.2 innings for reliever Solomon Washington.
Utermark hit Washington’s first pitch between the third baseman and shortstop to give Ole Miss a 4-3 lead. Moerman logged an infield hit to extend the inning for Furniss. He was able to sneak a grounder past the third baseman to score two and push the lead to 6-3.
Fawley grounded out to end the inning for Ole Miss, but they took the lead with a huge five run inning and batted around.
Hudson Calhoun came in at the top of the eighth. The lanky righty got three straight outs to give Ole Miss the bat again.
The Rebels threatened in the bottom of the eighth but could not scratch a run across.
Connor Spencer came in to shut the door on the Governors. He struck out the first batter, but worked into some trouble after a single and a walk. He forced a flyout and tallied another strikeout to end the game.
Ole Miss won with a final score of 6-3. They out-hit Austin Peay 13 to four and only recorded one error.
Who’s next?
The Rebels take on No. 21 Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. this weekend from May 2-4. Game three is tomorrow at 2 on SEC Network+.
