STARKVILLE, Miss. — No. 24 Ole Miss and Mississippi State split a doubleheader on Friday at Dudy Noble Field.
As the Rebels secured a 10–4 victory in the first game, the warm feelings from that didn’t last all night. The Bulldogs responded with a 4–1 win in the second.
Game One: Offensive Firepower Leads Rebels to Victory
Ole Miss set the tone early in the first game, with catcher Austin Fawley launching his 16th home run of the season in the opening inning, giving the Rebels a 2–0 lead.
Fawley’s recent surge includes 10 home runs over his last 16 games.
The Bulldogs managed to tie the game with a solo home run in the first and an RBI triple in the fourth. However, the Rebels responded decisively.
In the fifth inning, Judd Utermark delivered a three-run homer down the left-field line, putting Ole Miss ahead 6–2.
Collin Reuter and Ryan Moerman added solo home runs in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively.
Luke Cheng contributed an RBI groundout, and Luke Hill added an RBI single in the eighth, extending the lead to 10–2.
Starting pitcher Hunter Elliott delivered a strong performance, pitching 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits, and striking out seven batters.
Will McCausland closed the game with 1.1 hitless innings, securing the win.
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Game Two: Bulldogs’ Pitching Dominates
In the second game, Mississippi State’s starting pitcher, Evan Siary, was dominant, striking out 15 Rebels over eight innings without issuing a walk.
Ole Miss managed seven hits but struggled to capitalize, with only two runners reaching second base through eight innings.
The Rebels attempted a rally in the ninth inning after Siary exited the game, scoring one run on a sacrifice fly, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit.
Mississippi State secured the 4–1 victory, evening the series.
Series Finale and Postseason Implications
The series finale was rescheduled to Saturday, May 10, at 7 p.m. CT due to impending weather.
Both teams are vying for favorable positions in the SEC standings, with Ole Miss aiming to maintain a strong conference record and Mississippi State seeking to build momentum under interim coach Justin Parker.
Player Highlights
• Hunter Elliott (Ole Miss): 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 7 K
• Evan Siary (Mississippi State): 8 IP, 0 ER, 7 H, 15 K
• Austin Fawley (Ole Miss): 16th home run of the season
• Judd Utermark (Ole Miss): 3-for-8, 3-RBI home run in Game One
If weather permits, Ole Miss will face State again Saturday evening. The scheduled start time is 7 p.m. on SEC Network+.
