Hunter Elliot Returns to Form as Ole Miss Opens Series With Win

Needing a win to regain control of its hopes for hosting post season baseball, Ole Miss returned to Swayze Field on Friday night after a week off to recover from a heartbreaking finish in Fayetteville last weekend.

The No. 20 Ole Miss Rebels defeated the No. 9 Texas A&M Aggies 5-3 on Friday night, securing the first game of the weekend series and moving to 33-17 (13-12) on the season. After back-to-back disappointing outings, Rebel ace Hunter Elliott was back in command, throwing six innings, allowing two runs and recording 11 strikeouts in Friday night's win.

Rebel Ace Sets Tone in Series Opener

May 21, 2025 Ole Miss pitcher Hunter Elliott comes off field celebrating in SEC Baseball Tournament. — May 21, 2025; Hoover, AL, USA; Ole Miss pitcher Hunter Elliott (26) comes off the field and celebrates with teammates during the game with Florida in the second round of the SEC Baseball Tournament at the Hoover Met. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Elliot weathered the Aggies' early swings, as they barreled up pitches but hit them right at Ole Miss defenders. Once he settled in, he worked through the lineup by getting ahead early in the count and using his command to elevate the fastball. He mixed in his cutter and changeup effectively to get through the final three innings of his outing, recording his 300th career strikeout and moving into third place on the Rebels' all-time list.

Still, Elliot's biggest moment came in the fifth inning.

Texas A&M began to find its rhythm in the fifth inning, putting runners on first and third with a chance to shift momentum. Elliot nearly worked out of the jam when a ground ball was hit back up the middle, but it bounced off Dom Decker's glove and into center field, allowing a run to score and trimming the lead to 3-2

On the very next batter, Elliot again had a chance to escape the inning, but a ground ball to the right side was misplayed by the Rebel shortstop Owen Paino, leaving the Aggies with runners on first and second and two outs.

Just when fatigue appeared to be setting in, Elliot dug deep and showed his toughness, and delivered by striking out Chris Hacopian before coming back out in the sixth and recording two more strikeouts to cap his night,

By saving pitches in the bullpen, the four outs recorded to finish the fifth and sixth innings may prove vital to Ole Miss's success for the rest of the weekend.

Timely Two-Out Hitting Delivers Separation

Will Furniss looks on after hitting home run during the Regionals on June 1, 2025. — Jun 1, 2025; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels first base Will Furniss (36) looks on after hitting a home run during the third inning against the Murray State Racers. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Ole Miss struggled offensively for much of the night, going 0-for-2 with the bases loaded and hitting into two double plays in the first three innings as the Aggies repeatedly escaped trouble. But with two outs in the seventh, the Rebels finally broke through. Will Furniss doubled off the left-center field wall to score Judd Utermark, and one batter later, Furniss came home on a Tristan Bissetta single to center. Those two runs gave Ole Miss a crucial 5-2 lead.

The offense got production from the bottom of the order, which helped keep the lineup moving and the Aggies' bats in the dugout, as Austin Fawley and Owen Paino combined to go 3-for-7 with one run scored.

The Rebels have had their share of offensive ups and downs throughout the season, but after failing to push across the winning runs and close out games in recent weekends, it's encouraging to see the offense find a way to pull one out.

Ole Miss will face Texas A&M in a Saturday doubleheader, with Game 1 set for a 2 p.m. first pitch and Game 2 beggining 60 minutes after Game 1 concludes.

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