Ole Miss infielder Judd Utermark rounding bases after homer against Nevada
Ole Miss infielder Judd Utermark rounding bases after homer against Nevada. | Dylan Cohron-HottyToddy.com Images

Ole Miss Baseball Flashes the Power Early in 5-1 Win Over Nevada

BY Taylor Hodges

It took until the eighth inning for Ole Miss to smash its first home run of the season Friday night.

It took considerably less time for the Rebels to send a ball over the wall on Saturday.

Judd Utermark opened the scoring with his first homer of the year in the first inning, and Tristan Bissetta followed with a second-inning blast as Ole Miss cruised to a 5–1 win over Nevada.

Tate Sirmans added the third and final home run in the fourth inning. After hitting a program‑record 124 home runs last season (and returning more than 60 of them) the Rebels’ power display hardly came as a surprise.

Bissetta has quickly inserted himself into the conversation as one of the most impactful transfers in the country. A day after going 2‑for‑3 with four RBIs in his Rebel debut, the former Clemson Tiger went 2‑for‑4 with a home run and three more RBIs.

Dom Decker is making his own early case as well. The Murray State transfer went 2‑for‑4 with a stolen base and two runs scored.

But the Rebels’ bats weren’t the only stars of the afternoon.

Sophomore Cade Townsend looked every bit like another potential ace for Ole Miss. He struck out a career‑high eight batters without issuing a walk in 4.2 innings, allowing just four hits and one run on a sacrifice fly. If Townsend continues to pitch like this, he and Hunter Elliott could form one of the SEC’s toughest one‑two punches.

Taylor Rabe earned the win in relief, throwing 3.1 scoreless innings with two hits, one walk, and three strikeouts.

Winning/Losing Pitchers

  • WP: Cade Townsend (4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 8 K, 0 BB, 54 TP)
  • LP: Alessandro Castro (4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 74 TP)

Ole Miss Batting Leaders

Tristan Bissetta – 2-4, 3 RBI, 1 HR, 1 R

Judd Utermark – 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 HR, 1 BB

Tate Sirmans – 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 R

Next Up

Sunday’s game hasn’t been rescheduled as of the final out of Saturday’s game.

“Showers, mainly before 9am. High near 61. Southeast wind around 10 mph becoming north northwest in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible,” according to the National Weather Service’s forecast.

Rain is in the forecast for Oxford on Saturday night and Sunday morning, but should be gone by first-pitch. The Rebels are currently slated to conclude its three-game series against Nevada at 1 :30 p.m. The game will be streamed on SECN+.

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