Ole Miss Baseball Comes Up Short in Rubber Match with Bulldogs

STARKVILLE, Miss. – (Release) No. 24 Ole Miss baseball scored four unanswered runs in the seventh and eighth innings, but fell just short of a comeback, losing 6-5 to Mississippi State on Saturday night.

The Rebels had just six hits on the night and Luke Hill had three of them, going 3-for-5 with a run scored. Collin Reuter hit a pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning, his second home run of the weekend. Will Furniss walked five times and scored a run in the loss.

The game was scoreless through the first two and a half innings until the Bulldogs scored the first run in the bottom of the third.

Isaac Humphrey tied things up at 1-1 in the top of the fourth as he doubled to right center, scoring Furniss from first base.

Mississippi State struck for three runs in the bottom of the fourth and then two more in the fifth to take a 6-1 lead.

In the seventh inning, Luke Cheng was hit by a pitch to open the inning, Hill singled, and Judd Utermark walked to load the bases with one out. Furniss drew another walk to put a run on the board and Austin Fawley drove in another run to make it 6-3.

In the eighth inning, Ryan Moerman reached on an error by the right fielder, opening the door for a pinch-hit opportunity for Reuter. He hit a laser to left field for his second home run of the weekend and made it 6-5.

The Rebels opened the ninth inning with back-to-back walks by Furniss and Campbell Smithwick. However, the Bulldogs turned a double play to get two quick outs and got another ground ball to escape with the win.

Ole Miss will return home to host UT Martin on Tuesday night.