Ole Miss Baseball Secures First SEC Series Victory in Thriller Over No. 15 Kentucky

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss baseball returned to Swayze Field for a crucial rubber game against the Kentucky Wildcats Saturday, where the Rebels pulled away late to secure a 12-9 win for their first SEC series victory of the season.

Ole Miss now advances to 19-6 overall and 3-3 in the SEC on the season, while dropping the Wildcats to 19-4 overall and 4-2 in conference play.

The Recap

The Wildcats came out firing in the top of the first, scoring two runs, while forcing Rebels’ starter Wil Libbert to throw 35 pitches in the frame. Kentucky’s runs came off a Hudson Brown, two-RBI double, but Libbert limited the damage, escaping a bases-loaded jam and only trailing 2-0.

Ole Miss’ first trip to the plate was quick, as Wildcats’ starter Nate Harris needed just 9 pitches for a 1-2-3 inning.

Libbert settled in on the mound, recording a quick inning and picking up his first two strikeouts. His offense reduced the deficit to one in the team’s second trip to the plate when Daniel Pacella softly rolled a ball towards third, but it was misplayed and rolled all the way to the outfield. That allowed Collin Reuter to slide into home safely.

After three innings, Kentucky led Ole Miss 2-1.

Libbert continued to settle in as he threw his third consecutive scoreless inning in the fourth and upped his strikeout tally to five for the day, while waiting for the offense to supply more support.

That support came in the fourth when the Rebels loaded the bases with no outs and Daniel Pacella stepped up to bat. He launched a 2-1 pitch over the right-center fence for a g0-ahead grand slam. Ole Miss led Kentucky 5-2 at this point.

But the Rebels’ lead was not a long one as the Wildcats shot right back with a grand slam of their own off the bat of Carsen Hansen. They also added two RBI singles from Jayce Tharnish and Luke Lawrence. The six-run fifth inning gave Kentucky an 8-5 lead.

Ole Miss scraped one back from the Wildcats in the sixth as Hayden Federico sent a fly ball to center for a sacrifice fly, before another good inning on the mound from Walker Hooks in relief set the table for Tristan Bissetta in the bottom of the seventh.

The Rebels’ outfielder brought it within one, skying a leadoff homer in the eighth that cut the Kentucky lead to 8-7.

The Ole Miss bats were not done there, though, as Will Furniss backed the home run with a single, and Collin Reuter reinstated the Rebels lead with a two-run shot into left field. The Swayze Field crowd was in a frenzy as Ole Miss regained the lead, 9-8.

But the Wildcats weren’t done yet. They cut the Ole Miss lead short as Tyler Bell knotted the game at 9 with a leadoff home run into the visitor’s bullpen to begin the eighth.

Hooks settled back in and retired the next three batters in order.

Ole Miss was back at the plate, and Brayden Randle dropped a leadoff, opposite-field double before Federico moved him over with a bunt. Judd Utermark then drew a four-pitch walk, and the Wildcats loaded the bases, intentionally walking Bissetta.

This set the stage for Furniss, who greeted the Wildcats’ bullpen arm, Ira Austin IV, with an opposite-field two-RBI single to give Ole Miss the lead once again, 11-9.

Reuter followed with a sacrifice fly to score Bissetta and give Ole Miss a 12-9 lead in the eighth.

Hooks entered once again in the ninth, going in with 3.2 innings pitched under his belt and 50 pitches on the day. Hooks proceeded to retire the Wildcats in 1-2-3 fashion to secure the series victory.

Hooks’ final line was: 4.2 innings pitched, 3 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk, and 5 strikeouts.

A Look Ahead

The Rebels will return to the diamond on Tuesday for a midweek road clash with the Memphis Tigers at 6 p.m. CT as Ole Miss looks for the season sweep over the Tigers.