Ole Miss Baseball Drops Final Midweek Game Before Opening SEC Play

Miscues and an early deficit proved to be too much for the Ole Miss Rebels to overcome on Tuesday.

Ole Miss outfielder Ryan Moerman hits a home run against the Clemson Tigers on Feb. 16, 2025 during the Shriners Children's College Showdown in Arlington, Texas. | Ole Miss Athletics

The No. 13 Ole Miss Rebels did not play up to their national ranking on Tuesday evening as they dropped a midweek game to the South Alabama Jaguars 14-5 on the road in Mobile.

This game served as the final midweek tune-up for the Rebels (14-2) who saw their 13-game winning streak snapped in the blowout loss.

The difficult day started early for Ole Miss who was retired in order in the top of the first followed by allowing four runs from the Jaguars in the bottom half of the inning, three of which were unearned due to an error. South Alabama would tack on single runs in the second and third innings to claim a 6-0 lead early, and the Rebels did not find the scoreboard until they added two runs in the top of the fifth.

That positive momentum was short-lived, however, as the Jaguars added three runs in the bottom half of the inning. In total, South Alabama pushed across at least one run in each of the innings played on Tuesday, except for the fourth and sixth.

The Rebels used a total of nine arms on Tuesday, including starter Taylor Rabe who only lasted one inning and was credited with the loss in his second-ever collegiate appearance. Nine of South Alabama's 14 runs were credited as earned as the Rebels committed four errors in the loss, and Ole Miss pitchers also issued eight walks paired with two hit batters.

Offensively, the Rebels showed some resilience in the middle innings and saw RBIs from Ryan Moerman (home run), Will Furniss, Campbell Smithwick and Owen Paino. Ole Miss was out-hit 14-6 on Tuesday, and the win on the mound was credited to South Alabama's Tyler Smith who threw 4.2 innings and allowed two runs.

Ole Miss will now look to regroup back at the friendly confines of Swayze Field as it welcomes the No. 3 Arkansas Razorbacks to Oxford. First pitch in the series opener on Friday is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.