Ole Miss’ Three-Homer Inning Fuels Game-One Win Over Jacksonville State
OXFORS, Miss. – The Ole Miss offense scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, propelling the No. 17 ranked Rebels to a 7-4 game-one win over the Jacksonville State on Friday night at Swayze Field.
The Rebs take Game 1 vs. the Gamecocks!#HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/G21UNEwxG8
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 8, 2025
Following the win, head coach Mike Bianco commented on the big inning that ultimately won the Rebels the game.
“That at-bat by Humphrey (one the strike three called)…I thought that was a really good at-bat. Even though we didn’t get the result, he battled with two strikes, that might have been what made the next four to five at-bats. Even though that at-bat didn’t work for us, sometimes it bleeds into the next ones…it can get emotional sometimes and I thought we used that the right way.”
~ Bianco after the win
Game Recap
Hunter Elliott came into the game without allowing a run so far this season, however, the Gamecocks quickly put an end to that. After the Ole Miss starter punched out the leadoff man, a double down the left field line and a single through the right side of the infield gave Jacksonville State an early 1-0 lead before Elliott retired the side.
Ryan Moerman picked up a two-out double in the bottom of the first for the Rebel bats, but Jacksonville State starter Steven Cash got out of the inning unscathed allowing the Gamecocks to keep a lead.
Again, Elliott struck out the leadoff man in the top of second, but a solo shot off the bat of Ace Williamson gave the Gamecocks a 2-0 lead. The Ole Miss lefty would hit his first batter of the night before picking up two more strikeouts to retire the side.
Needing an answer, Judd Utermark led off the bottom of the second with a double. The base knock was not your typical extra base hit; the Rebel power hitter skied one high into the air on the infield and the Gamecock first baseman lost it in the lights while Utermark trotted to second. Isaac Humphrey then launched his second home run of the season over the right field wall, tying the game at 2-2 after two played.
Isaac Humphrey LASER over the right field wall! 💣 pic.twitter.com/Hedu26zrdY
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 8, 2025
Elliott hit his second batter of the night to start the next frame, and gave up a single to the next Gamecock batter to put a pair of runners on in a hurry. After getting the first out, the lefty walked the next two batters, plating another run for Jacksonville State. Shortly after, Elliott hit another Gamecock batter to make it a 4-2 deficit for Ole Miss before finally getting out of the frame.
The Rebels once again stranded a pair of runners in the bottom of the third. Hayden Federico led off the inning with a leadoff walk and Luke Hill followed with a single into shallow left, but is was Cash working the Gamecocks out of it to post another scoreless frame.
A leadoff walk and a single given up by Elliott in the top of the fourth was the end of the night for the Ole Miss starter. Mason Morris came down from the bullpen with one down and a runner on before he put up a zero for the Jacksonville State bats for the first time in the game.
Although Cash issued another walk in the bottom half of the inning, the Rebel bats could not get anything going as another zero was posted in the box score. The fifth was the quickest inning of the night as Morris sat down the Gamecocks in order and Cash again left Moerman stranded after a base knock for the Rebel outfielder.
Morris came back out for the top of the sixth and issued his second walk of the night. However, the junior right-hander posted a third-straight scoreless frame for the Jacksonville State bats.
Cash picked up two punch outs to begin the bottom half of the sixth, the second one being a bit controversial to the Swayze Field fans as Humphrey watched a low strike three go by him. However, the arguing did not matter as the Rebel bats heated up after that.
Austin Fawley blasted a solo shot well over the center field wall, and Will Furniss followed him up with another one into the right field seats that left the ballpark in a hurry. Tied at four, Luke Cheng was hit by a pitch and the lineup rolled over for Ole Miss. Still with two outs, Federico sent his first collegiate home run over the right-center field wall, a two-run shot that gave the Rebels a 6-4 lead after six played.
CRUSHED 😤@fawley_austin x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/ZhQGkY5ZBf
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 8, 2025
BACK-TO-BACK@WillFurniss x #HottyToddy https://t.co/WOYOJCHFzW pic.twitter.com/xthQboKPOn
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 8, 2025
FED!!! 💪
First career homer for the freshman!!!@haydenfederico3 x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/HXNr31hK3b— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 8, 2025
Following the game, Federico explained the emotions and adrenaline of that four-run inning for the Ole Miss bats.
“We hit the two home runs before, (Luke) Cheng gets the big hit by pitch; I just kind of told myself I was selling out to the breaking ball and I didn’t miss it.”
~ Federico after the win
Morris gave up the first hit of his outing in the top of the seventh, a double into the left-center field gap. However, the righty recorded three more strike outs and posted a fourth consecutive scoreless frame. Sanford singled in the bottom half of the inning for Ole Miss but was stranded at second.
Once again, Morris cruised through the Jacksonville State lineup, sitting them down in order to kick off the eighth. The junior was replaced by closer Connor Spencer at the start of the ninth, finishing his outing with 4.2 innings of work, seven strikeouts, and no runs allowed.
After the win, Morris talked about how it felt to have a longer outing than usual on the mound.
“I felt great. This fall I started some, throwing five to six innings (per outing), so I really don’t think it made a difference out there.”
~ Morris after the win
Mason Morris vs. Jacksonville State:
Career-High 4.2 IP
Career-High 7 Ks
1 Hit, 0 Runs 🔥@Mason22Morris x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/AXmShoi47j— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) March 8, 2025
The Rebels added one more run in the bottom of the eighth when Cheng poked a ball into right field, scoring Furniss from second. Spencer then shut the door in the top of the ninth, sitting the Gamecocks down in order to secure the victory for Ole Miss.
Morris was credited with the win, his second of the season. Every Rebel starter recorded a base knock in game one while Moerman led the way with a pair hits to his name.
Up next
The Rebels will be back at Swayze for game two of the weekend on Saturday, March 8, when they attempt to take the series against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks at 1:30 p.m. CT.
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.
