Though nothing’s official yet, folks can start thinking about making plans centered around baseball in Oxford this weekend as Ole Miss has added another résumé booster to its arsenal.
After defeating Florida 3-1 on Friday, another stellar outing on the mound found the No. 7 seed Rebels (39-18) 5-2 victors over No. 3 seed Arkansas in the SEC Tournament. Mike Bianco’s club leaned on an explosive top of the first inning and stalwart pitching to cruise to its second postseason victory this year.
Ole Miss began the opening frame with men on the corners after Mitchell Sanford was walked and Luke Hill reached first base on a throwing error. A Judd Utermark single scored Sanford. An ensuing Ryan Moerman single scored Hill, then Austin Fawley knocked a three-run jack over the left field wall to put the Rebels up 5-0 before Arkansas southpaw Zach Root worked his way out of a disastrous start to the contest.
Fawley Bomb: Hoover Edition@fawley_austin x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/hJ67AQMLig
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 23, 2025
The Razorbacks tacked on a run in the bottom of the first to work back into contention, but Rebel right-hander Riley Maddox was able to prevent any further damage in the inning. In the bottom of the second, things took a rough turn for the red and blue when a ball hit deep between center and left field caused a nasty collision between Isaac Humphrey and Moerman. Arkansas’ Cam Kozeal was credited with an inside-the-park home run on the stat sheet, making the score 5-2.
Moerman checked out of the game, and freshman Hayden Federico subbed in at right field. Humphrey did not exit the matchup. Maddox worked out of the frame without allowing any additional runs to score. From there, both offenses would threaten at times, but to no avail.
Maddox, a former Jackson Prep standout, moved through the third through fifth innings unblemished. After logging two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Maddox was pulled, and Will McCausland came into the contest. McCausland, who struggled to find the strike zone, worked himself out of a bases-loaded jam.
9️⃣ in a row put down by Riley!@riley_maddox1 x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/hP5OfwaT5q
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 23, 2025
Ole Miss’ bats continued to slump, putting an onus on pitching to close out the contest. A shaky bottom of the seventh inning by McCausland found Arkansas with runners on second and third with one out. Bianco turned to standout reliever Mason Morris to handle the hill — and that he did. Morris recorded a strikeout and forced a flyout to retire the Razorbacks.
Morris, after his offense failed to add insurance runs to the board in the top of the eighth, worked the side to put his team three outs away from advancing to the semifinal of the conference tournament. The Rebels were scoreless once again in the top of the ninth. Connor Spencer, the Ole Miss closer, trotted out to the mound and sealed the deal, eliminating any threat of a comeback.
Fawley’s home run was the catalyst for the Rebels’ early burst of scoring and was the most consequential of the team’s 10 hits on the afternoon. Maddox was credited with the win after striking out seven batters and surrendering just two runs in 5.2 innings. Morris also had an impressive day, retiring all five batters he faced.
Next up for Ole Miss is a Saturday matchup between the winner of No. 3 seed LSU and No. 14 seed Texas A&M at a time yet to be determined. Though the Rebels are in a prime position to host a regional in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, a win would all but rubberstamp Oxford as a hosting site next weekend.
