Hunter Elliott against Mississippi State.
Ole Miss pitcher Hunter Elliott winds up for a pitch during a game against No. 6 Mississippi State at Swayze Field. | Dylan Cohron-HottyToddy.com Images

Ole Miss Can’t Close It Out, Falls to Mississippi State in Series Opener

BY Taylor Hodges

A loss to Mississippi State is always painful for Ole Miss.

When it comes after blowing a one-run lead in the ninth inning, after striking out four times in the final two innings, after hitting two home runs on a night when the wind was working against that, and after getting another strong start from the Rebels’ ace, the loss stings even more.

What could have been a win that sparked a celebration and put No. 18 Ole Miss in position for an upset series victory over No. 6 Mississippi State has instead turned into a much tougher task, especially considering who the Bulldogs are starting next.

As is often the case in close games, there were bright spots for Ole Miss, particularly on the mound. That is where we will start this breakdown of Mississippi State’s 5-4 win on Friday night.

On the Mound

Ole Miss got about as good of an outing from Hunter Elliott as it could’ve asked for. He held a Mississippi State offense batting .350 without a hit until the fifth inning and opened the sixth with his seventh strikeout. He filled up the zone (62 of his 92 pitches were strikes) and the Bulldogs weren’t squaring him up.

Then came the sixth. Elliott gave up a one-out single, then a walk, setting the table for Ace Reese to punch an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1.

Noah Sullivan followed with a double down the left-field line to give Mississippi State the lead, and that ended Elliott’s night.

You would’ve liked to see Elliott get through one more clean inning before handing things off to the bullpen. Or at least avoid putting Taylor Rabe in with runners on second and third and one out.

A leadoff walk in the seventh set up a potential double play, and Ole Miss almost got it. But the Dom Decker’s couldn’t handle the grounder, allowing another run to score. After that, Rabe settled in and shut Mississippi State down.

Rabe has cemented himself as one of the Rebels’ most reliable relievers. He allowed three hits and a walk with two strikeouts, throwing 56 pitches.

That’s a heavy load for a reliever, but proof he can give Ole Miss multiple innings of scoreless work.

What happened next shouldn’t change that, but he did allow a leadoff single in the ninth, then a double to put two runners in scoring position.

That put Ole Miss in a nearly impossible spot to escape without having to bat again.

Walker Hooks couldn’t keep Mississippi State off the board entirely, but he did limit the damage to one run, giving the Rebels at least a chance to tie or win it in the bottom half.

At the Plate

With the exception of one swing, the first five innings of Friday’s game were a pitcher’s duel. Neither offense could get much going; not many baserunners, and even fewer clean hits.

Part of that was the pitching. Both starters were sharp and tough to square up. The other part was the wind. Blowing straight in from the outfield, it turned would-be hits and potential home runs into routine flyouts.

The lone exception was Judd Utermark’s solo home run in the fourth.

Even with the wind pushing everything back toward the infield, he hit it hard enough (111 mph) and at the right angle to sneak it over the right-field wall.

For most of the night, though, the wind acted like a fourth outfielder. On a normal day, Ole Miss probably leaves the yard four or more times. But the Rebels didn’t make the necessary adjustment.

It showed in the sixth, when Will Furniss reached second with no outs and never advanced. That sequence also highlighted Ole Miss’ ongoing issue with runners in scoring position. The Rebels finished 1-for-4 in those spots but that one hit was massive.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh and Ole Miss leading 3-1, Austin Fawley launched a moonshot to right. It traveled 331 feet and barely cleared the wall, exactly the kind of swing you want in that moment and a clear momentum-changer.

It also ended up being Ole Miss’ final hit of the night. Five of the last seven Rebels to come to the plate struck out. If they win, it’s a footnote. In a loss, it becomes a problem you can’t ignore.

Pitching Decisions

  • WP: Tyler Pitzer (2-1) 0 H, 0 R, 4 K, 19 TP, 14 ST
  • LP: Taylor Rabe (3-1) 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 56 TP, 37 ST

Ole Miss Batting Leaders

  • Austin Fawley: 1-3, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 HR, 1 K
  • Judd Utermark: 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 HR (10), 1 K
  • Will Furniss: 1-4, 1 2B, 2 K
  • Hayden Federico: 1-4, 1 K

Next Up

The three-game series continues Saturday at Swayze Field. First-pitch is set for 1:30 p.m. We know who’ll be on the mound to start for Mississippi State, but not for Ole Miss.

The Bulldogs will send red-hot Tomas Valincius (5-0, 1.04 ERA, .87 WHIP) to the mound, but the Rebels have not announced a starting pitcher. Cade Townsend, who has been the regular Saturday starter, wasn’t listed on Friday’s Student-Athlete Availability Report. Not even as a game-time decision (pitchers Marcko Sipilla and Grayson Gibson were). That may be a sign that Townsend will start on Saturday.

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