From Walk-Off Woes to Redemption: No. 9 Ole Miss Baseball Splits Friday Doubleheader at Kentucky

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss baseball rallied late in both games of Friday’s doubleheader at Kentucky Proud Park, falling 5-4 in 10 innings in the opener before securing a 3-1 win in the nightcap behind clutch pitching and a pinch-hit home run to even the series against the Kentucky Wildcats.

Late Game Heroics 🦸‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/hGpDr15T2E

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 5, 2025

Game one

Hunter Elliott started the opening game of the double header on Friday for Ole Miss. The southpaw lasted 5 innings, allowed three hits, four runs, three walks, and picked up four strikeouts. In the bottom of the second, Elliott hit his second Wildcat batter of the inning and plated the first run of the day for the Kentucky offense.

Back-to-Back Backwards Ks for @elliotthunter10 to end the 5th pic.twitter.com/3okffdGaUn

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 4, 2025

The Wildcats picked up three more runs in the bottom of the third thanks to singles from Griffin Cameron and Devin Burkes. Elliott hit two more batters in the inning, ending the game with four hit by pitches issued. The Ole Miss starter cruised through the next two innings before being replaced by Mason Morris at the start of the sixth.

Nate Harris started for the Wildcats; the righty went 3.2 innings without giving up up a run before being replaced in the top of the fourth with two down. Kentucky used a handful of relievers before sticking with Jackson Nove in the back three innings.

The Rebels finally got on the board in the top of the fifth thanks to a pair of singles from Austin Fawley and Hayden Federico to lead off the frame. A fielder’s choice then set up Luke Hill at the plate and the Ole Miss infielder cut the Kentucky lead to 4-2 with a single into right field.

7-game hit streak for @Luke_Hill22 as he drives in a pair of Rebs! pic.twitter.com/iEVkhjqBPP

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 4, 2025

The Rebels went scoreless in the sixth, but it was Hill again in the seventh, leading off the inning with a solo home run over the right field wall that cut the Ole Miss deficit to just one. In the top of the eighth, Fawley doubled for his third hit of the game against his former team with two outs, and Federico delivered with a single up the middle to tie the game at 4. Nove gave up the two runs that tied the game, forcing the Wildcats make a change and give it to James McCoy to close it out.

Solo shot the other way for @Luke_Hill22! 💣 pic.twitter.com/32PzBZk9WV

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 4, 2025

FED! Tie game in Lexington!@haydenfederico3 x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/xxHrfjR68M

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 4, 2025

Morris coasted through four innings after relieving Elliott, picking up six strikeouts and only allowing two hits which sent the game into extra innings. The Rebels found a runner on the third in the top of the 10th and could not capitalize while the Wildcats did the same in the bottom half and answered the bell.

It was Brayden Jones who came out of the pen to replace Morris with runners on and one out. An error on a pickoff attempt followed by a single into left by Burkes were the game deciding plays that allowed Kentucky to secure the walk off, game one victory.

Despite recording 13 hits to the Wildcats’ six, the Rebels batted .154 (2-13) with runners on, leaving 11 on the base paths. Morris was credited with the loss while McCoy picked up the win for Kentucky.

Game two

Riley Maddox started game two for Ole Miss; the senior righty gave up a quick run in the bottom of the second with Burkes picking up another big RBI for the Kentucky bats. Nic McKay started on the bump for the Wildcats and cruised through the first three innings before giving up his first run.

Back-to-back one-out singles from Isaac Humphrey and Judd Utermark put runners on the corners for Federico in the top of the fourth. The freshman scored Humphrey on a sacrifice fly into centerfield, tying the game at one before McKay could get out of the inning.

.@haydenfederico3 comes through again! His sac fly ties things up in Game 2 pic.twitter.com/h3GUc6o5AR

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 5, 2025

Maddox continued on and settled in past the fifth inning before Ryne Rodriguez replaced him to begin the sixth inning. The Ole Miss starter finished with 5 innings of work, allowed just one run, four hits, one walk and punched out six.

.@riley_maddox1 strikes out the side in the 3rd 💪 pic.twitter.com/UX3IOvykGQ

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 5, 2025

Scott Rouse replaced McKay at the beginning of the fifth for the Wildcats and shut the Rebel lineup down for 3.1 innings before Evan Byers took over with one down in the eighth.

Federico singled into left to lead off the top of the ninth and later advanced to second after a ground out from Fawley. Nile Adcock replaced Byers with one down, and the change for Kentucky was followed by a pinch hitter for Rebel head coach Mike Bianco.

Campbell Smithwick was the guy off the bench for the Rebels, seizing the moment with a two-run home run that made it 3-1 Ole Miss lead heading into the bottom of the ninth. It was the fourth home run of the year for the sophomore and was his only at-bat of the game. Adcock threw just seven pitches before Cole Hentschel replaced him.

Campbell Smithwick gives us the lead with a two-run pinch-hit homer!!! https://t.co/G3zafmfRFM pic.twitter.com/pF7nH2AkSv

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 5, 2025

Will McCausland took over on the bump for Rodriguez back at the start of the seventh and pitched three perfect innings in relief for the Rebels. The righty recorded five strikeouts, punched out the side to end the game in the ninth, and was credited with the win.

Will McCausland was ELECTRIC to close out the game⚡️
3.0 IP
0 Hits
0 Runs
5 Strikeouts
1 Win@MccauslandWill x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/eCcQlmvC7S

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 5, 2025

Similar to game one, Ole Miss out hit Kentucky, but it was solid pitching and a perfect pinch hitting choice that propelled the Rebels to a win in game two to even the series. Hill went 5-of-9 at the plate through the day for Ole Miss to lead the way; Federico showed up big as well with four hits in eight at bats through the two games.

Up next

The Rebels will be back at Kentucky Proud Park Saturday, April 4, for a rubber match against the Wildcats. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. CT and will be televised on the SEC Network+.