How It Happened: LSU Baseball Drops Game 1 Showdown to Ole Miss Rebels in 6-3 Loss

OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss broke a 3-3 tie with a three-run eighth inning Friday night as the Rebels defeated LSU, 6-3, at Swayze Field.

Ole Miss improved to 24-11 overall, 6-7 in the SEC, while LSU dropped to 22-13 overall and 6-7 in conference play.

The teams resume the series at 4 p.m. CT Saturday in a game that will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network and streamed on SEC Network +.

Friday night’s game was tied 3-3 entering the bottom of the eighth inning when the Rebels struck for three runs on four hits and capitalized on an LSU error.

Leftfielder Hayden Federico lined a run-scoring single, centerfielder Brett Moseley bunted home a run from third base, and shortstop Brayden Randle delivered a sacrifice fly to give Ole Miss a 6-3 lead.

Ole Miss reliever Walker Hooks (3-0) earned the win, blanking LSU over the final 3.0 innings, allowing one hit with no walks and three strikeouts. He retired the side in order in the top of the ninth to end the game.

“Our team was ready, nobody was playing tight, but we have to execute the game better,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “It’s frustrating, because we’re not executing the staples that have been part of our winning formula at LSU. We’re not executing like we should, so we need to keep attacking solutions.”

LSU reliever Zac Cowan (1-1) was charged with the loss, as he allowed three runs – just one earned – on four hits in 1.2 innings with no walks and one strikeout.

Rightfielder Jake Brown belted a two-run homer – his 14th dinger of the year – to give LSU a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Ole Miss tied the game in the bottom of the first as first baseman Will Furniss delivered an RBI single and rightfielder Tristan Bissetta scored from third base on a passed ball.

A solo homer in the second inning by designated hitter Owen Paino, his first dinger of the year, gave the Rebels a 3-2 advantage.

LSU tied the contest 3-3 in the seventh when centerfielder Derek Curiel lifted a sacrifice fly.

LSU starting pitcher Casan Evans worked 6.0 innings, limiting Ole Miss to three runs on five hits with two walks and nine strikeouts.

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