Ole Miss bullpen shines as Diamond Rebels defeat Austin Peay, 13-9
OXFORD, Miss. – Responding after facing an early 4-0 deficit, the Ole Miss Rebels took down the Austin Peay Governors on the Diamond Tuesday night, 13-9, as the Ole Miss bullpen and the bat of Treyson Hughes shined.
Rebs grab the Tuesday night win! pic.twitter.com/WJM62KfXON
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 27, 2024
On the mound
Arkansas State transfer Kyler Carmack got the midweek nod after head coach Mike Bianco made a change to the weekend rotation to start the week. Carmack’s first start in a Rebel uniform did not begin well, though, as he gave up back-to-back solo shots that instantly put the Governors up two runs. The righty eventually got out of the mess, but not before giving up a four-spot to begin the game.
Carmack’s second frame then began with a triple to the right field corner, forcing Bianco to make a call to the pen. Mitch Murrell was called on to replace the starter with no outs and a runner on third. Murrell then immediately gave up a single, scoring another run for the Governors that allowed them to take a 5-4 lead through one and a half played.
Other than issuing a two-out walk, Murrell cruised through the third to post the first scoreless frame from either team in the game. The Rebel captain was replaced by freshman Austin Simmons to begin the fourth. Murrell finished with two innings of work, allowed just one hit, issued one walk, and did not allow a run. Murrell was credited with the win tonight, his second of the season.
Simmons came on and flashed the same abilities Rebel fans have seen all season, striking out the side 1-2-3 to post another scoreless frame.
Struck out the side ❌❌❌@austnsimmons | SEC+ pic.twitter.com/6q90fRqyWC
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 27, 2024
After a great opening frame, Simmons struggled a bit to begin the fifth which forced Bianco to call Sam Tookoian on to take over for the freshman. The big righty quickly got out of the game, stranding both the runners that were left at his disposal.
Took with the heat to escape the jam@STookoian | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/ZmcOa2TZGm
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 27, 2024
Coach Bianco spoke about Tookoian’s outing after the game and on the bullpen as a whole.
“I thought all the guys out of the pen pitched well. There are not many times you can give up four in the first, another one in the second and then give up four in the ninth and still win by four. One of the big parts of the game was the bullpen being terrific and it started with Mitch (Murrell). I thought (Austin) Simmons pitched really well, he hasn’t been out there because of football…then Sam (Tookoian) came in and got us off the field.“
~ Coach Bianco on Tookoian and the Rebel bullpen
After two innings of work, no runs allowed and a pair of Ks, Tookoian was replaced by Mason Morris to begin the seventh. Morris sat down the Governors 1-2-3 in his opening frame for the fifth straight scoreless inning posted by the Rebel staff.
Morris got through another scoreless frame for the Rebels, setting up Brayden Jones in the ninth as the Rebel reliever came on in an attempt to record the final three outs for the midweek win. Jones struggled to do so, giving up a pair of home runs which made it 13-9 Rebels.
Lefty Ryne Rodriguez was then called out of the pen to replace Jones, recording the final two outs to secure the win for Ole Miss.
At the plate
Down four runs going into the bottom of the first, the Rebel lineup had some work to do if they planned on staying in this ballgame. They did in fact respond, starting off the frame with three singles in a row as the last one came off the bat of Jackson Ross who plated the first Rebel run with the base knock.
The Rebs did not stop there in the first, though; Ethan Lege was hit by a pitch to load the bases and then a SAC fly off the bat of Will Furniss plated another for Ole Miss. Treyson Hughes and Eli Berch both followed that up with RBI singles to tie it up 4-4 through one.
Knotted back up!@HughesTreyson | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/DxHTwsztuJ
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 27, 2024
After a leadoff walk from Brayden Randle in the second, the lineup then rolled back over allowing Hill to reach again drawing a walk as well. A double steal then put Randle at third, allowing the freshman to take home on a wild pitch to tie things up at five apiece.
The Rebs continued to see the ball well as the game rolled on. Another big inning began with an Ethan Groff single, eventually leading to Hughes picking up his second RBI of the night with another single up the middle.
Another RBI for @HughesTreyson and the Rebs lead!
📺 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/QjM4TrOBxt
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 27, 2024
Coach Bianco commented on the red-hot Rebel outfielder in the postgame.
“He had a really good night tonight. Three hits and another great play in the first…you can tell he is feeling more like himself, he has been a little more aggressive at the plate, getting to some of the fastballs he wasn’t getting to earlier in the season…he’s been swinging it well.“
~ Coach Bianco on Treyson Hughes recently
Another SAC fly later in the frame then allowed Furniss to score again to extend the lead. Third baseman Andrew Fischer then singled up the middle with two down, scoring another pair of runs to make it 9-5 Rebs after three played.
Two more off the bat of @sirfischer3
📺 SEC+ pic.twitter.com/gDQzv1fiaw
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 27, 2024
A pair of walks drawn by Lege and Groff to begin the bottom of the fourth eventually put a runner in scoring position for the red-hot Treyson Hughes. The Rebel outfielder singled for the third time in the game, also knocking in his third run as Ole Miss took a 10-5 lead into the fifth.
The walking RBI @HughesTreyson
📺 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/H4UyGTXtUk
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 27, 2024
The runs continued to be easy to come by for the Ole Miss lineup. Lege led off the bottom of the sixth, unloading on the first pitch thrown to him to send it into the left field bullpen, making it 11-5 Rebs after six.
Tuesday Night Lights @_ethanlege 🚨
📺 SEC+ pic.twitter.com/FZna3qOufw
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 27, 2024
In the bottom of the eighth, freshman Trenton Lyons came off the bench to pinch hit for Furniss, drawing a one-out walk. After an error by the Governors and a wild pitch, Lyons came around to score which made it 13-5 late in this one.
Up Next
The Diamond Rebs will stay at home this weekend as they play host to the No. 24-ranked Kentucky Wildcats. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6:30 pm CT on SECN+.
Kameron Wicker
Kam is a senior at Ole Miss, currently pursuing a degree in Journalism. Even though he's from Delhi, Louisiana, that didn't stop Kam from growing up a diehard Ole Miss fan. He's a sports guru who watches and follows all sports at all times. He lettered four years in football and baseball in high school and is an avid Saints, Pelicans, and Astros fan. In his free time, you can find him watching sports or at the rec participating in them.
