From Midweek to Prime Time: Cade Townsend’s Gem vs. LSU Helps Lift Diamond Rebels Into SEC Title Game
HOOVER, Ala. — Three years ago, Ole Miss baseball put a talented and confident freshman on the mound who helped march the Rebels through Regionals, Supers and a College World Series title. Might Ole Miss have another freshman pitcher who is ready to push himself to the forefront in the postseason?
If Cade Townsend’s performance Saturday in Hoover is a sample of what’s to come, the Diamond Rebs may have a chance to find lightning in a bottle again.
That then-freshman in 2022, of course, is the now seasoned veteran Hunter Elliott. He dispatched Florida in game one in Hoover, pitching 5.1 innings, giving up just two hits and one run, while striking out 8 and only walking one, en route to the Rebs’ 3-1 win.
After Riley Maddox pitched a gem in game two in the tournament, a 5-2 win over Arkansas, head coach Mike Bianco announced that freshman Cade Townsend, the Rebels’ midweek starter, would take the mound first in Saturday’s semifinal game against No. 1 LSU. Ole Miss’ Sunday starter Mason Nichols is still day-to-day following an oblique strain against Auburn.
So it was Townsend, a native of Aliso Viejo, Calif., who would enter the semifinal game with a 6.67 ERA and basically no experience on the mound against SEC-caliber teams.
That experience consisted of one inning against Missouri back on March 22. He then pitched against Florida March 28 in a game where he faced two batters and walked them both before being pulled. He pitched 2.1 innings in a start against State in the Governor’s Cup on April 22, giving up 4 hits and 3 earned runs.
After the win over LSU, Coach Bianco was asked why he had the confidence to put Townsend in on that big of a stage.
“I think it’s everything. It’s tough. This league is tough for freshmen. You know, it’s tough for anybody, but it’s especially tough for freshmen to come in with the high expectations that Cade did. And we’ve talked about this throughout the year. Certainly it’s not hard to see the stuff when he goes out there. But just to be consistent and when you watch him week in and week out on those Tuesdays and he’s pitched well, but usually it’s an inning that gets him, right? You know, it’s not that he can’t handle the moment. It’s not that he’s not good enough to do this at its highest level on the weekend against a top five team. But can you make a pitch and get off the field? And he did that a couple of times today in a big environment, tough environment. And for that we’re really proud of him because that’s the growth that you’re seeing. And he’s the guy that you expect one day is going to be a weekend starter, a Friday night starter in a Southeastern Conference.”
Coach Mike Bianco on Cade Townsend
So, basically, 3.1 innings of Southeastern Conference baseball is all Townsend had played entering the game Saturday against the top-ranked Tigers in the Hoover Met. While many felt the Rebels had done enough to secure an NCAA Regional host bid, others insisted Ole Miss needed to beat LSU. Again, a tall task for a true freshman pitcher.
So what did Townsend do? He kept his cool on a very big stage, going 4.2 innings, giving up just two hits and no runs while notching 3 Ks and walking three. He faced 18 batters and threw 75 total pitches.
Big stage? No problem for the freshman@cadetownsendmlb x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/ALyAQnpqgo
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 24, 2025
After the game, he was asked if his heart was beating fast as he started the game.
“It was probably over 200,” Townsend said jokingly. “It was definitely racing. I came in knowing there was going to be adrenaline and adversity.”
Freshman dealing through 3️⃣ innings in Hoover!@cadetownsendmlb x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/gw5M2pbwN4
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 24, 2025
There was plenty of both, but the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Townsend was quick to credit his teammates.
“It’s not on me. It’s this whole team. We love playing together and want to win this whole thing.”
The Ole Miss bullpen came in and pitched 4.1 scoreless innings. In fact, going into the championship game, the Rebel relievers have not given up a run at Hoover. Not one.
Townsend was asked how he felt handing over the ball to the next man up.
“It’s supreme confidence. I’ve never had so much confidence giving to another guy. Our whole team knows that everyone is going to come out and dominate.”
Cade Townsend
Rebel closer Connor Spencer, who earned his seventh save of the season after going one inning and giving up no hits and no runs, talked about Townsend and their relationship.
“So Cade Townsend is my roommate on the road, actually,” Spencer explained. “You know, he’s a little 19-year-old freshman, and I’m a 24-year-old senior, so we get along well,” he added.
“I’ve kind of talked to him about what I’ve learned in college and what’s helped me, and to kind of almost feel like I’m his big brother and guiding him in a way that I feel if I had all this energy pent up the way he does, (I can) kind of just straighten him out and be able to help him kind of use that to go and perform the way he did. I’ve seen it in him since the first day that I met him. He’s always been one of my favorite little freshmen and, yeah, he’s just, he’s a really good dude and a really good competitor, too.”
Connor Spencer on Cade Townsend
That sounds a lot like the way the veterans described a young Hunter Elliott three years ago.
Next Up:
Ole Miss faces Vanderbilt on Championship Sunday with first pitch set for Noon CT.
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception. Email Evie at: Evie@TheRebelWalk.com
