The Grove Report

The Recap: No. 24 Ole Miss Baseball Takes Game 1 Over Mississippi State Bulldogs

The Ole Miss Rebels took away a convincing win over Mississippi State in Game 1, handle business in Starkville.
Billy Kuhl|
Judd Utermark celebrates hitting a home run during Ole Miss baseball's win over Wright State at Swayze Field on Feb. 28, 2025.
Judd Utermark celebrates hitting a home run during Ole Miss baseball's win over Wright State at Swayze Field on Feb. 28, 2025. | Ole Miss Athletics

The No. 24 Ole Miss Rebels took away a convincing10-4 victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs in Game 1 of the critical Southeastern Conference series.

The Rebels got off to a quick start as Mitchell Sanford opened the game with a walk before Ole Miss clean-up hitter Austin Fawley launched his 16th home run of the season as the Rebels jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first four batters of the game.

The Bulldogs quickly cut into the deficit as Ace Reece responded with a long ball of his own; sending a solo home run over the head of Sanford in left to make it 2-1.

State then evened the game a few iinnings later in the fourth as Bryce Chance's RBI triple brought in Hunter Hines, setting the game at 2 a piece.

Following a delay with complications to an umpire, the Rebels retook the lead on an error by Reese at third base to allow Isaac Humprhey to come around and score.

Ole Miss continued to add on after the error as Judd Utermark sent a three-run shot almost out of the stadium to give the Rebels a 6-2 advantage.

The Rebels capped off the inning as they added one more run when Collin Rueter sent Ole Miss' third home run of the day, and second of the inning, to make it a 7-2 ball game through the first half of the fifth.

Following a dominant inning at the dish, Hunter Elliott went out and set down the Bulldogs in 1-2-3 fashion, including 2 strikeouts to start the inning.

Elliott's efforts on the mound got the hot bats up quick and hot they stayed as Ryan Moreman opened the sixth with a solo shot; Ole Miss' fourth homer of the game to give the Rebels a six-run advantage.

Ole Miss continued to grow their lead as Luke Cheng drove in a run with a deep groundout and Hill added another to cap off the eighth inning with an RBI single to give Ole Miss a 10-2 lead.

The Bulldogs were not going down without a fight as Gehrig Frei sent a lead-off home run into the edge of the right field stands to cut the lead to 10-3.

State stayed pushing as Sawyer Reeves followed the homer with a double and was driven in two batters later by Noah Sullivan to cut the deficit back down to six runs.

The Bulldogs then juiced the bases, knocking out Mason Morris, as Ole Miss brought in Will McCausland who needed just four pitches to record a strikeout to simmer the Bulldogs building heat.

Ole Miss started the ninth with a Campbell Smithwick single into right field, but after a strike them out, throw them out double play and another quick strikeout, the Bulldogs headed into the bottom of the ninth looking to get hot on offense.

However, McCausland had an efficient 1-2-3 inning as he secured the win for Ole Miss in Game 1.

The Rebels and Bulldogs will resume action on Friday as they head into Game 2 of the doubleheader as the Rebels look to clinch the series victory in Starkville.

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Billy Kuhl
BILLY KUHL

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