OXFORD, Miss. — The Ole Miss Rebels found their stride again Tuesday night, dispatching UT-Martin 11-5 at Swayze Field to snap a brief two-game losing streak and close out their midweek slate on a high note.
The win lifts Ole Miss to 35-17 on the season, while the Skyhawks fall to 20-31.
After a tough road trip to Starkville, the Rebels were eager to reset before their upcoming SEC series.
The offense wasted no time, compiling 12 hits, six walks, and four home runs, while the pitching staff held UT Martin at bay with a steady rotation of arms.
Mitchell Sanford led the power surge, launching two home runs and driving in multiple runs. Will Furniss and freshman Ethan Surowiec each added solo shots, with Surowiec’s blast marking his second career home run in his first career start as the designated hitter.
Rebels coach Mike Bianco praised Surowiec’s development and readiness.
“He’s earned this,” Bianco said. “We’ve tried to figure out how to get him some at bats and it’s tough. In the live BPs in practice — of the guys that don’t play much — he’s really separated himself and done well.
“I kind of penciled in to get him a start by the end of the year. Just to get him more than one at bat at the end of a game. He deserves it…some Kemp-like skills. I think he’s got a really good future and we just need him to get on the field more.”
On the mound, Ole Miss used a committee approach. Cade Townsend started and worked four innings, followed by appearances from Gunnar Dennis, Patrick Galle, Hudson Calhoun, Walker Hooks, Landon Waters, and Alex Canney.
Dennis, who earned his third win of the season, was particularly effective, facing three batters and retiring them all with two strikeouts.
“You’d like a little more length, you’d like it to go a little further,” Bianco said about Townsend’s outing. “But also the pitch count getting into the 70s came apart a little bit for him.
“That’s a pretty decent offense over there. For young pitchers like him that have such good stuff and punch people out, it can be a little frustrating. It seemed like he had some two-strike counts. They competed well and fouled some balls off. He was good”.
The Rebels’ offense was relentless, notching 10 RBIs and capitalizing on five hit-by-pitches. The lineup’s ability to generate runs in multiple ways gave the pitching staff ample breathing room throughout the night.
Looking ahead, Ole Miss will host No. 6 Auburn for a pivotal SEC series at Swayze Field, starting Thursday for the final regular-season matchup.
The Rebels are expected to maintain their current pitching rotation as they seek to build momentum heading into the postseason.
First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m., with coverage available on ESPN+/SEC Network+ and the Ole Miss Radio Network.
With their losing streak behind them and young talent stepping up, the Rebels appear poised for a strong finish to the regular season.
