How It Happened: Ole Miss Baseball Opens Missouri State Series With 11-6 Game 1 Win

OXFORD, Miss. – A grand slam from Austin Fawley and two homers from Judd Utermark helped No. 16 Ole Miss baseball defeat Missouri State, 11-6, in the series opener on Friday night at Swayze Field.

Fawley’s long ball marked back-to-back games the Rebels (6-0) have hit a grand slam, after Utermark did so in the midweek game against Jackson State last time out. It’s the first time Ole Miss has had two consecutive games with a grand slam since at least 2014.

Utermark hit his fourth and fifth home run of the season, finishing with a trio of RBI. He has four home runs in the past two games, after knocking two against Jackson State. Will Furniss reached based each time he took the plate, going 2-for-2 with three walks. As a baserunner, he tied his career high in runs with three.

Dom Decker, Tristan Bissetta and Collin Reuter each had two hits and four combined RBI.

Junior lefty Hunter Elliott worked 4.2 innings, fanning five batters. Hudson Calhoun entered in relief and pitched 3.1 solid innings en route to earning his first win of 2026. He struck out five of the 16 Bears (3-2) he faced.

After giving up a run at the top of the first, Decker kickstarted a Rebel run by doubling down the right field line. Utermark was hit by a pitch and Furniss drove a single to load the bases.

Bissetta sent Decker home with a single. Fawley then took the plate with loaded bases and two outs, and with two strikes against him, drove the ball 404 feet for his first home run of the season.

Ole Miss Rebels Baseball: Ethan Suroweic. — Courtesy of Ole Miss Baseball.

The bats stayed alive in the second inning, this time through Utermark’s fourth homer of the season that drove in a pair. Utermark’s bomb put the Rebels ahead by six runs.

Missouri State would shorten the lead by tacking two runs to its total in the top of the fourth. Reuter put Ole Miss back up by six in the bottom of the same inning with his second double of the season. He plated Decker and Furniss as the Rebels sat on top 9-3.

Reuter struck again in the sixth with a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Furniss to score his third run of the game.

The Bears didn’t cease their attack and added a sixth run at the top of the eighth. Utermark responded with his second home run of the day. His solo shot would serve as the final run of the game and solidified the final score of 11-6.

Right-hander Landon Waters took the mound for the second time this season to shut the game down. He pitched a clean inning, striking out the first two batters. A popup to Decker served as the final out of the evening. Missouri State starter Michael Yusypchuk picked up the loss.

Ole Miss and Missouri State will continue the series on Saturday with first pitch set for 2 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed on SECN+.

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