Ole Miss Falls to Iowa in Series Opener

OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss baseball fell to the Iowa Hawkeyes 13-7 in the opening game of the series.

After falling behind 7-2 going into the bottom of the eighth, the Rebels (6-5) scored five runs in the frame to tie the game after eight complete. Iowa pitchers gave up seven walks, two sac flys and a hit.

Iowa (5-4) retook the lead in the ninth after loading the bases and Kyle Huckstorf drove in two runs.  The Hawkeyes tacked on four more runs in the inning to go up 13-7.

It was a pitcher’s duel between the Rebels’ Gunnar Dennis and Iowa’s Brody Brecht through the first two innings as both clubs only had one runner each.

In the third inning, Ole Miss played small ball to load the bases as Andrew Fischer stepped up to the plate with no outs. Fischer walked to bring in the first run of the game in the form of Treyson Hughes.

Iowa then took the lead on a two-run home run to right off the bat of Raider Tello.

Ole Miss loaded the bases in the fourth but couldn’t get a run home to tie the game or take the lead.

The Rebels had left a total of seven runners on base through four innings.

Iowa got runners at second and third with one out in the top of the fifth and then initially walked to load the bases. The Hawkeyes catcher Davis Cop delivered a bases-clearing double to right and Iowa took a 5-1 advantage over the Rebels.

A two-out solo blast by Ethan Lege to left in the bottom of the fifth cut Iowa’s lead to 5-2.

Big shot to left from @_ethanlege pic.twitter.com/nX7i1di9rF

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 2, 2024

Dennis worked five complete innings and surrendered five runs on four hits with three walks and eight strikeouts.

Coach Mike Bianco made the call to the bullpen in the sixth for Brayden Jones. Jones pitched into the top of the seventh before turning the ball over to Casey Tolbert.

Brecht tossed 5.0 innings for the Hawkeyes and allowed two runs on five hits with two walks and 11 strikeouts while facing 25 batters on the night.

Iowa turned the game over to Anthony Watts in the sixth. Watts worked 2.0 complete frames and surrendered two runs with five walks.

Tolbert came in with two Hawkeyes on base. The Hawkeyes loaded the bases and scored two runs on a base knock to right field of the bat of Reese Moore. Iowa loaded the bases again on a walk and Bianco brought in southpaw Liam Doyle.

Ole Miss opened the home half of the eighth by getting the first two runners aboard before Iowa made a call to the bullpen. The Hawkeyes brought Brant Hogue for 0.2 of an inning and gave up three runs on a hit with two walks.

Groff came to the plate and smacked the ball into left to load the bases with no outs. It was the third time for Ole Miss to load the bases. Fischer delivered a sac fly that scored Hughes for the third run of the night for Ole Miss. Jackson Ross then hit a sac fly that scored Brayden Randle.

Gatlin and Lege drew walks, followed by a John Kramer walk that scored Groff. Luke Hill drew a walk that scored Gatlin. Burford then walked and scored Lege, as Ole Miss scored five in the inning to tie the game at 7-7 before Iowa would take control in the ninth.

TIED UP!

📺 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/R0cy5izXNi

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 2, 2024

Groff went 2-for-4 on the night. Hughes finished 2-3, while Fischer went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Lege went 1-for-4 with a home run and RBI.

Ole Miss left a total of 17 runners left on base.

The Rebels pitching staff recorded 16 total strikeouts against Iowa sluggers.

Next Up

Ole Miss and Iowa will return to the diamond on Saturday for game two of the series. The first pitch is set for 1:30 p.m. and can be streamed on SEC Network +.