To say No. 17 Ole Miss losing a first‑round SEC Tournament game to the lowest‑seeded team in the field was shocking isn’t an overstatement. Few people outside the Missouri dugout expected that to happen. The Tigers probably didn’t fully believe it would happen either.
“It’s disappointing. It’s never fun to lose, and certainly not fun to lose the first one,” Rebels coach Mike Bianco said after the game.
The reactions on social media and message boards have been predictable. A few even understandable. After all, who had “pitching” as the reason Ole Miss would drop its opening game of the tournament? That’s been the strength of this team for most of the season.
“We just didn’t pitch well enough to win,” Bianco said. “When you’re in tournament play, you need to be better on the mound… That’s not normal for us.”
The bats weren’t red‑hot, but they weren’t the problem either. Look at Tuesday’s numbers:
- Overall: 9‑for‑36 (.250)
- Two outs: 5‑for‑14 (.357)
- Runners on: 5‑for‑16 (.313)
- RISP: 3‑for‑8 (.375)
- Bases loaded: 1‑for‑1
- Home runs: 3
- Extra‑base hits: 6
- Strikeouts: 14
- Walks: 4
- HBP: 3
- Left on base: 8
Keepin’ it 💯 pic.twitter.com/hnMvAjbJvd
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 20, 2026
For this team, that’s solid. Yes, the strikeouts are high, but that’s nothing new. Eight left on base stings, but this was far from their worst offensive showing.
Through 56 games, Ole Miss hadn’t lost a game where it scored at least eight runs. When the offense looks like it did Tuesday, the Rebels usually win because the pitching holds up its end too.
So, this isn’t a reason to panic.
Ole Miss didn’t use its weekend rotation, and all three starters are capable of giving seven strong innings.
The bullpen has also been sharp lately. Against Alabama, the relievers allowed two runs (one unearned) on eight hits and three walks while striking out 10.
And among the top bullpen arms, only JP Robertson had a rough outing against Missouri. Walker Hooks and Owen Kelly were excellent late and gave the Rebels a real chance to climb back into it.
Yes, losing to Missouri, a team with six SEC wins, is frustrating. Any shot at hosting a regional is gone, and the segment of the fan base calling for change has fresh material.
But there’s still plenty to play for, and this roster has the pieces to be dangerous in the NCAA Tournament. Postseason baseball rewards teams that get hot, and not many lineups want to see Ole Miss when it finds that gear.
The wait now is to see whether these Rebels can heat up at the right time.
