Ole Miss' Topher Jones reacts after a base hit during Sunday's game against Evansville. | Dylan Cohron, HottyToddy.com Images
Ole Miss' Topher Jones reacts after a base hit during Sunday's game against Evansville. | Dylan Cohron, HottyToddy.com Images

Ole Miss Baseball Dominates Week but Still Chasing Top 25 Return

BY Taylor Hodges

Ole Miss had a perfect week on the diamond, going 5-0 with a pair of midweek wins and weekend series sweep.

However, it wasn’t enough to put the Rebels back into the top 25. That opportunity comes this week when they travel to No. 7 Southern Miss and then to No. 2 Texas to begin SEC play.

Ole Miss was unranked in the latest D1Baseball Top 25 Rankings and likely won’t be making a return appearance there until it wins games against ranked opponents.

Baseball America, however, moved the Rebels up on spot in its latest rankings to No. 16. Here’s what the publication had to say about the Rebels.

“It was a clean sweep at home this week for the Rebels. They opened the week with back-to-back midweek wins over Memphis and North Alabama, then swept the weekend against Evansville. The Rebels lineup was alive and well as they outscored opponents 44-13 over their five games, with a particularly dominant showing over the weekend.

“Senior third baseman Judd Utermark led the explosive week. He racked up 20 total bases across five contests going 7-for-17 with four home runs, nine runs, 10 RBIs and five walks to three strikeouts. â€œ

Ole Miss can easily get back into the top 25 rankings and move even higher this week that marks the start of one of the toughest schedules in the nation. The Rebels’ opponents currently have a .6137 win percentage, a measurement bested only by Auburn (.6323) and Vanderbilt (.6205).

Here’s the complete top 25 rankings from both publications:

D1Baseball Top 25 Rankings

  • UCLA, 13-2
  • Texas, 15-0
  • Mississippi State, 14-2
  • Georgia Tech, 14-2
  • Arkansas, 12-4
  • Auburn, 13-2
  • Southern Miss, 14-2
  • Georgia, 15-3
  • Oklahoma, 14-2
  • NC State, 14-2
  • Clemson, 15-1
  • Wake Forest, 15-1
  • LSU, 12-5
  • Virginia, 13-3
  • North Carolina, 13-3
  • Coastal Carolina, 9-6
  • TCU, 9-6
  • Oregon State, 10-4
  • Tennessee, 12-4
  • Florida State, 13-2
  • Kentucky, 14-2
  • Texas A&M, 14-1
  • Florida, 14-3
  • UTSA, 13-2
  • Southern California, 15-0

Baseball America Top 25 Rankings

  • UCLA Bruins, 13-2
  • Mississippi State Bulldogs, 14-2
  • Texas Longhorns, 15-0
  • Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 14-2
  • Auburn Tigers, 13-2
  • Georgia Bulldogs, 15-3
  • Oklahoma Sooners, 14-2
  • Arkansas Razorbacks, 12-4
  • Virginia Cavaliers, 13-3
  • Southern Miss Golden Eagles, 14-2
  • North Carolina Tar Heels, 13-3-1
  • Clemson Tigers, 15-1
  • LSU Tigers, 12-5
  • TCU Horned Frogs, 9-6
  • NC State Wolfpack, 14-2
  • Ole Miss Rebels, 15-2
  • Florida State Seminoles, 13-2
  • Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 15-1
  • Texas A&M Aggies, 14-1
  • Southern California Trojans, 15-0
  • Tennessee Volunteers, 12-4
  • West Virginia Mountaineers, 10-3
  • Oregon State Beavers, 10-4
  • UTSA Roadrunners, 13-2
  • Florida Gators, 14-3

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