Seventh-Inning Escape Not Enough as Ole Miss Falls In Heartbreaker to Arkansas

In a game with major implications for hosting an Oxford Regional, Ole Miss did enough to stay within reach and even survived its most dangerous moment. But a late collapse, capped by a Christian Turner walk-off two-run home run, handed No. 22 Arkansas a 5-4 win at Baum-Walker Stadium.

After two wildly different high-scoring contests earlier in the weekend, both pitching staffs were locked in today, especially Taylor Rabe.

Rabe delivered a strong outing, overpowering hitters with a fastball that consistently touched 97 mph and recording seven strikeouts over five innings. He limited the No. 22 Arkansas to two runs on five hits, giving Ole Miss a chance to take control late.

The story of the game and potentially the season unfolded in the bottom of the seventh.

Ole Miss starting pitcher Walker Hooks pitches in a game against the Murray State Racers — Jun 2, 2025; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels starting pitcher Walker Hooks (19) pitches during the second inning against the Murray State Racers. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

With the game tied 3-3, Arkansas attacked immediately when Nolan Sozua led off with a single to right and Zack Stewart followed with a walk. After Damian Ruiz moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, Mike Bianco opted to issue an intentional walk to load the bases. With the raucous crowd on its feet, Walker Hooks stared down the pressure and delivered, striking out the next two batters to escape the inning and stun the crowd into silence.

It felt like a moment that would define the game in Ole Miss's favor, especially at the top of the eighth when Judd Utermark gave the Rebels a brief lead, hitting his 48th career home run, tying Kyle Gordon for the program record, giving Ole Miss a 4-3 lead.

Closing games has become a troubling trend for Ole Miss. Just a week after the Rebels let a comeback slip away against Georgia, the same late-game issues resurfaced against Arkansas. With the game on the line, Turner delivered the final blow with a two-run homer in the ninth to secure the series.

For now, Ole Miss sits at No. 12 in RPI and checks in as the No. 11 overall seed by D1 Baseball. But in a league as unforgiving as the SEC, Sunday represented a missed opportunity to strengthen an already impressive postseason resume.

In a game that swung on a single inning and a final at bat, Ole Miss left Baum-Walker Stadium with the same question it has been chasing in recent weeks: how to finish the game when it's there for the taking.

Ole Miss's next game is Friday, May 8, at 6:30 p.m. against Texas A&M in Oxford. The game will be broadcast on SECN+.

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