Ole Miss outfielder Cannon Goldin high-fives teammates in the dugout before Saturday's game against Tennessee. | Ole Miss Athletics
Ole Miss outfielder Cannon Goldin high-fives teammates in the dugout before Saturday's game against Tennessee. | Ole Miss Athletics

Pitching Duel Turns Into a Rout as Ole Miss Pulls Away Late

BY Taylor Hodges

With both Tennessee and No. 25 Ole Miss coming into this weekend’s series leaning on pitching as their strength, a pitcher’s duel felt inevitable.

Don’t let the 8-1 final score fool you and late-game home runs. We got it on Saturday.

Cade Townsend and Tegan Kuhns traded zeros, combining to allow no runs, six total hits and only three walks. Fortunately for Ole Miss, Townsend was better for longer.

Kuhns was chased in the sixth after recording his ninth and tenth strikeouts but also giving up his fifth hit. That’s when the Rebels finally found some life at the plate, even if it took a while to show up. Lone runs in the seventh and eighth gave Ole Miss a 2-0 lead, and that looked like it might be enough. Landon Waters, Hudson Calhoun and Walker Hooks didn’t allow a hit and let only two runners reach.

Tristan Bissetta removed any ninth‑inning anxiety with his 18th home run, a 424‑foot grand slam that pushed the lead to 6-0. For the second time this weekend, Judd Utermark followed him with a solo shot.

Hooks came back out in the ninth, and with the exception of one swing, kept Tennessee hitless and locked up the series win for Ole Miss.

Every game in this series has the potential to turn into another pitcher’s duel, which means the approach at the plate has to stay simple. Make the opposing starter throw pitches, get him out of the game and take your chances against the bullpen.

It worked for Ole Miss. See: six runs in the ninth against three Tennessee relievers. It didn’t work for the Vols.

Home Run Record Chase

Utermark’s ninth-inning home run was his 15th home run this season. More importantly, it was his 43rd career home run at Ole Miss. He know sits five home runs short of Kyle Gordon’s all-time record of 48 home runs.

Ole Miss Career Home Run List

  1. Kyle Gordon, 48
  2. Tim Elko, 46
  3. Judd Utermark, 43

Pitching Decisions

  • WP: Cade Townsend (4-1), 6 IP, 2 BB, 7 K, 1 HP, 88 TP, 52 ST
  • LP: Cam Appenzeller (5-1), 2.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 54 TP, 30 ST
  • S: Walker Hooks (4), 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 K, 26 TP, 17 ST

Ole Miss Batting Leaders

  • Tristan Bissetta: 1-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 HR, 1 BB
  • Judd Utermark: 3-5, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 HR
  • Hayden Federico: 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 2B, 1 HBP
  • Dom Decker: 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 SF
  • Collin Reuter: 1-2, 1 RBI, 1 2B

Next Up

Ole Miss and Tennessee will wrap up their three-game series Sunday with the Rebels looking for a second-straight weekend sweep. First pitch is set for noon on SECN+.

Sunday Starting Pitchers

RHP Taylor Rabe vs. LHP Evan Blanco

  • Rabe: 3-1, 3.16 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 31.1 IP, 24 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 5 BB, 37 SO, .209 Opp. BA
  • Blanco: 3-2, 3.67 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 49 IP, 36 H, 24 R, 20 ER, 18 BB, 58 SO, .200 Opp. BA

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