No NCAA baseball team has ever had undefeated season. Some have come close, but everyone loses a game or two during the long season.
So, No. 25 Ole Miss losing to Baylor by one run Friday at the BRUCE BOLT College Classic isn’t a major concern. How the Rebels lost, though, is.
Despite a pair of home runs from Tristan Bissetta, a great showing by Hunter Elliott with a career-high 11 strikeouts and Baylor batters striking out 20 times, the Rebels lost because the bats went silent at the worst possible time.
The Rebels were 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position and only 4-for-20 with runners on base.
“We didn’t do enough to win the baseball game,” Ole Miss Mike Bianco said afterwards.
Again, one loss doesn’t make or break a season. But the Rebels can’t afford to let golden opportunities like Friday pass them by.
Luckily, Ole Miss doesn’t have much time to reflect on the loss with a Saturday morning game against Ohio State. Here’s everything to know about the first game Saturday at Daikin Park in Houston.
The Opponent: Ohio State
Ohio State rolls into the weekend at 5-2, still living out of a suitcase with no home games yet on the schedule. The Buckeyes opened with a sweep of Saint Louis down in Pensacola, then split four games at the Grind City Classic in Memphis with two wins over Memphis and two losses to Louisiana Tech.
They haven’t exactly profiled as a power‑hitting group so far. Only four home runs through seven games, and Mason Eckelman owns half of them. He’s also driven in 10 runs and even legged out a triple on opening weekend. Miles Vandenheuvel has been their most consistent bat, hitting .391 with nine hits and three stolen bases in 23 at‑bats.
On the mound, Chris Domke and Pierce Herrenbruck have been the steadiest arms. Domke leads the staff with a 2.45 ERA, while Herrenbruck is the only Buckeye to reach double‑digit innings so far. Gavin Kuzniewski is another name that shows up quickly — he leads the team with 13 strikeouts.
It’s a group that hasn’t shown big power yet but does enough on the mound and strings together competitive at‑bats.
Weather Forecast
Daikin Park had its roof open for Friday’s games and, based on the weather forecast from the National Weather Service, the roof could be open again Saturday.
From the NWS, the weather is expected to be “Sunny, with a high near 81. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the morning.”
How to Watch: No. 25 Ole Miss vs. Ohio State
- Who: No. 25 Ole Miss Rebels (9-1) vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (5-3)
- When: 11:05 a.m., Saturday
- Where: Daikin Park, Houston, Texas
- TV: Houston Astros YouTube Channel (free)
- Radio: Live Radio
- Stats: Live Stats
- Series History: Ole Miss leads the all-time series 2-1
- Last Meeting: Ole Miss 12, Ohio State 7 (1977)
- Last time out, Rebels: lost to Baylor, 6-5
- Last time out, Buckeyes: lost to UTSA, 6-5
Pitching Matchup
- RHP Cade Townsend (0-0, 1.04 ERA) vs. RHP Chris Domke (1-1, 2.45 ERA)
Ole Miss Batting Lineup
- 2B Dom Decker
- 3B Judd Utermark
- RF Tristan Bissetta
- DH Collin Reuter
- 1B Will Furniss
- LF Daniel Pacella
- SS Brayden Randle
- C Austin Fawley
- CF Hayden Federico
Lineup vs. Ohio State pic.twitter.com/IHagDztyXf
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 28, 2026
