No. 24 Ole Miss powers past No. 22 Southern Miss, 15-8, in midweek victory
OXFORD, Miss. – No. 24 Ole Miss launched four home runs on a big night at the plate, using a handful of bullpen arms to defeat No. 22 Southern Miss, 15-8, at Swayze Field.
Another Top 25 win for the Rebs!#HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/2L7fH1Ss4Z
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 26, 2025
Following the game, head coach Mike Bianco talked about how the Rebel offense came up big on an odd night for the Golden Eagles’ pitching staff.
“Not your normal Southern Miss (pitching) staff, they walked a ton and hit a few. I thought we left a couple of guys on early, but later in the game we got some big swings…We only put three zeros on the board (for USM) in their nine at-bats, usually when you do that you don’t win but we were able to minimize that.”
~ Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco after the win
Game Recap
Junior right-hander Will McCausland got the midweek nod for the Rebels, making his first appearance since striking out eight in three innings against Clemson in the opening weekend. The Ole Miss starter recorded a punch out to begin the game but allowed a two-out infield single before ending a scoreless frame for the Golden Eagles.
McCarty English started for Southern Miss, getting off to a rough start as Hayden Federico and Luke Hill drew back-to-back walks before the starter recorded the first out. Ryan Moerman then sent a high fly ball into shallow right field, but the Southern Miss second baseman lost it in the sun and could not make the play, loading the bases for Ole Miss.
After getting the second out of the frame, McCarty gave up a two-out single to Judd Utermark which scored a pair of runners for the Rebels. Back-to-back walks issued to Will Furniss and Austin Fawley then added another run as Ole Miss led 3-0 through one. Southern Miss would make a change on the mound before the end of the frame, replacing McCarty with Matthew Adams.
Judd comes through with the bases loaded!@JuddUtermark x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/6aslwx459c
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 25, 2025
Nick Monistere led off the top of the second with a solo shot off the batter’s eye in center field, attacking the first pitch McCausland showed him to get the Golden Eagles on the board in a hurry. The Rebel starter would issue a walk after giving up the home run, but a double play ball and a punch out ended the frame with the Rebels up 3-1.
Federico led off the bottom of the second with a single into right-center field, making it all the way over to third before being stranded there in a scoreless frame for the Ole Miss bats. McCausland came back out for the Rebels to begin the third inning, but an error at first base eventually came back to haunt Ole Miss.
After picking up the first out of the frame, back-to-back singles given up by McCausland scored another run for the Golden Eagles. However, the Ole Miss starter punched out the next two batters to retire the side with the Rebels leading 3-2.
Micah Wassom replaced Adams on the mound for Southern Miss to begin the next frame. Utermark led off for the Rebels, reaching first via a hit by pitch and eventually advancing to third after a pickoff attempt sailed into right field.
With the shift on, Furniss pushed a ball through the left side of the infield for an RBI single and Fawley launched one into the left-center field seats in the next at-bat for his first career hit as a Rebel. Federico would draw a walk later in the frame to put another on for Ole Miss, but a double play stranded a runner as the Rebels led 6-2.
Austin Fawley got allllll of this one🤯@fawley_austin x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/Hv3DuPeZY9
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 25, 2025
The Golden Eagles did make another change on the mound before recording the final out, replacing Wassom with Camden Sunstrom.
McCausland came back out for the Rebels to begin the fourth, but immediately allowed a solo shot off the bat of Matthew Russo. After recording the first out, a single up the middle knocked McCausland off the mound, bringing Ryne Rodriguez out of the pen to replace him.
A single and a sacrifice fly for the Southern Miss offense would score a pair of runs before Rodriguez could get out of the inning, making it just a 6-5 Ole Miss lead.
With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Moerman roped a ball into the left-center field gap before eventually stealing third base. Mitchell Sanford then reached on a fielder’s choice and Sunstrom issued a walk to Utermark before being replaced by Josh Och.
Och picked up the second out of the inning but issued a walk to Fawley and hit Paino with a pitch, scoring another pair of runs for Ole Miss. Senior righty Gunnar Dennis replaced Rodriguez on the mound for Ole Miss to start the fifth.
Pitching with an 8-5 lead, Dennis gave up a leadoff double to Carson Paetow. A fielding error committed by Sanford in right field allowed Paetow to advance to third, eventually setting up a sacrifice fly that plated a run for the Golden Eagles.
In the bottom half of the fifth, Och issued walks to Hill and Isaac Humphrey before being replaced by Brooks Willoughby. The first lefty of the night for the Southern Miss staff recorded the first out, but a double down the right field line for Sanford plated a pair of runs for Ole Miss, making it a 10-6 lead through five played.
Sanford RIPS this into right field scoring two!@Mitchell__4 x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/33LE8bTiYZ
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 26, 2025
Dennis returned to the mound for the Rebels in the top of the sixth, giving up a solo home run to Tucker Stockman then loading the bases before being replaced by Brayden Jones. The junior righty hit 97 miles per hour with the fastball and miraculously retired the next three Southern Miss batters without allowing a run.
Jones was credited for the win, picking up his first of the 2025 season. The junior explained the high-leverage situation he was put in after the game.
“Just knowing that, with (pitching coach) Joel (Mangrum), this entire fall I gained a lot of confidence in all of my pitches. Just knowing before I even step foot on that mound that I have to have that confidence when I am going in. Once I get to that mound I know what I can do, I know that I can attack each hitter it doesn’t matter who it is, I am going to go right at them.”
~ Jones after the win
Brayden Jones leaves ’em loaded!!!@bt16jones x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/YbigFNNZx1
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 26, 2025
Paino led off the bottom of the sixth for Ole Miss, sending a no-doubter over the wall into the right-field seats for his first home run of his college career. Willoughby would continue on the hill for Southern Miss, eventually retiring the side with the Golden Eagles trailing 11-7.
OWEN PAINO!!! 💣@OwenPaino x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/gVTkfhMv4a
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 26, 2025
After the win, Paino expressed the feeling of finally getting the big hit after struggling at the plate to begin his career.
“It felt amazing. I have struggled in the beginning of the year so seeing that one come off the bat, seeing my teammates’ reactions to me succeeding. It felt like I finally did something to help the team after struggling those first couple of games. The Rebs are back, I am back, and we are going to keep the momentum going.”
~ Paino on his no-doubt HR
The seventh was the only scoreless inning of the night. Freshman Walker Hooks took over on the mound for the Rebels and Michael Fowler took over for the Golden Eagles.
In the top of the eighth, Hooks retired the first two hitters he faced before giving up the first run of his collegiate career. A solo shot off the bat of Davis Gillespie was the fourth and final home run of the night for Southern Miss as the Ole Miss lead was cut to three.
Singles from Hill and Humphrey began the bottom half of the frame for the Rebels before Landen Payne came out of the pen to replace Fowler. A pair of wild pitches eventually scored Hill before back-to-back jacks from Moerman and Sanford gave the Rebels a healthy 15-8 lead heading into the final frame.
BACK-TO-BACK JACKS@Mitchell__4 x #HottyToddy https://t.co/OdJeqpBnBK pic.twitter.com/xgDch9vTDP
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 26, 2025
Senior Connor Spencer took over on the mound to begin the ninth and the closer sat the Golden Eagles down in order to secure the midweek win for the Rebels.
Ole Miss drew 11 walks in the game, totaling up to 16 free bases on the night with the five hit by pitches as well.
Up next
The Rebels will stay at home heading into the weekend as they are set to host the Wright State Raiders. On Friday, Feb. 28, No. 22 Ole Miss takes on Wright State at 4 p.m. CT in the first game of the series.
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.
