Ole Miss Drops 3-1 Decision to No. 15 Kentucky, Rubber Game Set for Saturday

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss baseball fell to the No. 15 Kentucky Wildcats, 3-1, on Friday evening at Swayze Field. The Rebels struggled defensively and offensively but will need to rebound quickly as the crucial rubber game is set for tomorrow with an SEC series on the line.

This loss sends Ole Miss back under .500 in conference play as their record stands at 18-6 overall, 2-3 in league play. The Wildcats advance to 19-3 and 4-1 SEC action.

The Recap

Hudson Calhoun took the mound for the Rebels for the first time as a starter in 2026, as usual Saturday starter Cade Townsend is still rehabbing from shoulder inflammation. Calhoun made quick work of the first inning as he retired the Wildcats in 1-2-3 fashion and recorded his first strikeout of the night.

The offenses stayed quiet with Ole Miss not recording its first hit till a Cannon Goldin-single in the third. Kentucky earned its first hit as Hayden Federico nearly held on after a diving catch, but the play resulted in a double.

The Wildcats crossed the plate three times in the fourth via some good hitting but also as a result of some sub-par fielding from Ole Miss. Hudson Brown reached on what was called a single and advancement due to an error to plate the first two runs, before scoring, himself, when Owen Jenkins sent a high fly ball past the glove of Tristan Bissetta in left for a triple.

As Calhoun’s pitch count rose, Mike Bianco turned to JP Roberston out of the bullpen. Robertson needed just three pitches for a strikeout to end the inning

The Rebels’ bats continued to be sluggish as they rode behind Robertson’s outing, staying scoreless heading into the bottom of the sixth with just two hits and one walk in the game.

Ole Miss, however, put itself on the board when Austin Fawley skied a fly ball over the left-center fence for a leadoff home run, just his second of the year, and first in exactly a month. That cut the Kentucky lead to 3-1.

The Rebels continued threatening with Brayden Randle recording a single and Bissetta drawing a two-out walk. But a deep flyout ended Ole Miss’ frame.

The offenses slowed again as the pitching staffs for both sides regained control, including Landon Waters, who entered for Ole Miss to begin the eighth inning, where he escaped with a scoreless frame.

Waters returned to the mound for the ninth following another scoreless inning at the plate, and he faced the minimum, but not without the help of Fawley throwing out his third stealing base runner of the night. Despite the impressive pitching and catching performance, the Rebels trailed 3-1 into the bottom of the ninth.

Nile Adcock, who entered in the eighth for the Wildcats, went back out for the ninth, quickly retiring Utermark with a ground out before Jayce Tharnish executed an impressive diving catch for the second out of the inning.

Down to his team’s final out, Collin Reuter stepped into the box and was drilled with the first pitch bringing up the potential tying run in Dom Decker to the plate. Decker drew a walk, bringing up freshman Luke Romine to pinch hit for Goldin with runners on first and second. It wasn’t enough for the Rebels as they ended the game with the 3-1 loss.

A Look Ahead

Ole Miss will return for the series finale Saturday, looking to win the rubber game. First pitch is set for 1:30 P.M. CT.