OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss delivered a statement victory at Swayze Field, defeating the No. 6 Auburn Tigers 9-2 in the opening game of their critical SEC series.
With postseason implications looming, Hunter Elliott returned to his dominant self, and the Rebel offense broke out of its slump at the perfect time.
Elliott’s Command Performance
Hunter Elliott, the left-handed ace, pitched a season-high seven innings of shutout baseball, holding one of the conference’s hottest lineups to just four hits and two walks while striking out eight.
“I would say I felt really good. I felt really under control,” Elliott said later.” I really attacked early in counts. I got some first one strike, two strike early, which I don’t think I’ve done a particularly great job of doing this year. I think it’s the most in control I felt, I would say.”
Elliott’s performance improved his season record to 8-3 and continued a stretch in which he has allowed just five earned runs and only eight hits over his last three starts, striking out 20 batters in 17.1 innings.
His ability to control the tempo and keep Auburn off balance set the tone for the Rebels.
Rebels’ Offense Awakens
After struggling at the plate in recent SEC series, Ole Miss found its rhythm against Auburn starter Cam Tilly.
The Rebels broke through with two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings, then erupted for five runs in the seventh. Right fielder Ryan Moerman led the charge, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored.
“We knew (Tilly) was going to pitch well. We had our approach and I think we just stuck with it,” Moerman said. “We grinded out some good at-bats and were able to get some runs on him.”
Judd Utermark contributed a key two-RBI single in the seventh, marking his 50th and 51st RBIs of the season, the most on the team.
Seven of the nine Ole Miss starters recorded a hit, reflecting a balanced and persistent offensive attack.
Mike Bianco on the Breakthrough
Rebels coach Mike Bianco praised his team’s approach against Auburn’s ace.
“He’s a tough match for us,” he said. “Just because there is an assortment of pitches, just a really consistent mix and, at times, was throwing just as many off-speed pitches as fastballs.
“Earlier on, we didn’t get a lot of walks but you have to credit him. We didn’t make it too easy for him (Tilly). Anytime you can get a Friday night guy out after five innings and score a few runs, it’s a good night.”
With the win, Ole Miss (36-17, 15-13 SEC) is guaranteed a .500 or better record in SEC play for the first time since 2021.
The Rebels now need just one more win in the series to strengthen their case for an NCAA Tournament host seed, a scenario that seemed unlikely earlier in the season.
The series continues with game two at Swayze Field, with first pitch moved up to 6 p.m. due to inclement weather in the Oxford area.
The Rebels’ resurgence, led by Elliott’s ace performance and a resurgent lineup, has them peaking at the right time.
