Townsend and Rabe Deal, Ole Miss Blasts Four Homers in 8-0 Win Over Ohio State

HOUSTON — Ole Miss didn’t leave much suspense inside Daikin Park on Saturday afternoon.

Behind a dominant start from Cade Townsend and a barrage of home runs, the Rebels rolled past Ohio State 8-0 in the Bruce Bolt College Classic, bouncing back in emphatic fashion after Friday’s extra-inning loss.

REBELS WIN! Ole Miss is now 10-1 on the season. pic.twitter.com/oZFWrTxaMV

— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) February 28, 2026

From the first inning on, Townsend dictated the pace.

The sophomore right-hander attacked the zone early and often, striking out a career-high nine over five shutout innings. He allowed just three hits, walked one, and rarely let a Buckeye hitter get comfortable as he threw 72 total pitches.

Townsend leaned on a deep mix that kept Ohio State guessing. Fastballs set the tone, cutters and sweepers finished at-bats, and breaking balls forced empty swings when hitters fell behind. Twice he stranded runners in scoring position in the early innings, including a pair in the first, preventing Ohio State from ever gaining traction.

Couple of K’s to kick it off from @cadetownsendmlb pic.twitter.com/yukCq7iInT

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 28, 2026

By the time he exited, the game felt firmly in Ole Miss’ hands.

The Rebels broke through in the third inning with a solo shot and never slowed down.

Dom bomb 💣

Touch ’em all @DominicDecker12 pic.twitter.com/bkKP2zxEU5

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 28, 2026

Another long ball in the fourth added insurance, and a third in the fifth stretched the lead further. Dom Decker, who entered the week without a career home run, launched two more to continue his torrid stretch in Houston. Collin Reuter joined the party with a blast of his own.

In honor of our Swayze student section, another homer to right💪

Courtesy of @collinreuter5 pic.twitter.com/O0DHRPaGuZ

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 28, 2026

7⃣ K’s thru 4

Fire me up @cadetownsendmlb pic.twitter.com/soLZT3vnkS

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 28, 2026

Then came the knockout punch.

Leading 3-0 in the eighth, Ole Miss erupted for five runs, highlighted by freshman Brett Moseley’s grand slam that sent the Rebel dugout into a frenzy and effectively ended any thoughts of a late Buckeye rally.

7⃣ K’s thru 4

Fire me up @cadetownsendmlb pic.twitter.com/soLZT3vnkS

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 28, 2026

While the bats drew attention, the pitching sealed the deal.

Taylor Rabe took over for Townsend and was just as sharp, tossing four scoreless innings to close out the combined shutout. He struck out seven, issued no walks, and allowed only minimal contact as Ohio State struggled to string anything together offensively.

In total, Ole Miss pitchers recorded 16 strikeouts and permitted just a handful of clean looks at the plate. The defense had little to do, a testament to how efficiently the staff handled the afternoon.

The Rebels finished with seven hits and six walks, maximizing traffic and delivering in key spots — a welcome response after leaving opportunities on the table the day before.

Saturday’s performance offered crisp pitching, timely power, and a reminder of how dangerous this roster can be when it clicks on both sides of the ball.

With the win, Ole Miss improved to 10-1 on the season and evened its record in the tournament. The Rebels will wrap up their weekend in Houston with a Sunday morning matchup against Coastal Carolina. Ole Miss and Coastal are set for first pitch at 10:05 a.m.

Feature image credit: Cara McCutcheon