The end of the regular season is fast approaching and the importance and intensity of each game is only going to grow larger and larger.
With that growth, pressure will grow too and that’s what makes this weekend in Oxford important.
No. 20 Ole Miss is on the bubble of hosting a NCAA Regional and needs more than one or two wins to get on the right side of that bubble. A win or two against No. 9 Texas A&M would make the final weekend of the season a lot less stressful.
The Rebels get their first chance Friday night at Swayze Field. Here’s everything to know about the series-opening game.
The Opponent: Texas A&M
Texas A&M head coach Michael Earley is only in his second season, but he’s already stacked back‑to‑back 30‑win years and has this group sitting at 36-10 heading into the weekend. The Aggies are second in the SEC at 15-8 and have taken five of their last six league series, including sweeps of LSU, Texas and Missouri.
The formula has been pretty simple. They walk a lot, they hit a lot of home runs and they score in bunches. A&M ranks 11th nationally in walks and third in homers, which adds up to 422 runs on the year, good for 9.2 per game. The pitching and defense hold up their end too. The Aggies own the seventh‑best strikeout‑to‑walk ratio in the country at 3.23 and the third‑best fielding percentage in the SEC.
Junior outfielder Caden Sorrell leads the power surge with 21 home runs, second in the league and top 10 nationally. He’s one of five Aggies hitting over .300. Gavin Grahovac tops the lineup at .362 and brings plenty of pop with 17 homers, 13 doubles and three triples. Jake Duer, Nico Partida and Bear Harrison are also above .300, with Partida and Harrison both in double‑digit homers.
On the mound, Ethan Darden and Aiden Sims are lined up for Friday and Saturday. Darden has been a bullpen mainstay with a 2.88 ERA and a 4-0 record in 25 innings, and this would be his first start as an Aggie. Sims has made 12 starts and sits at 8-1, leading the team in both strikeouts with 68 and innings pitched with 65.
Starting Pitchers
LHP Ethan Darden vs. LHP Hunter Elliott
- Darden: 4-0, 2.88 ERA, 25 IP, 21 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 10 BB, 19 SO, .231 Opp. BA
- Elliott: 4-2, 5.49 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 59 IP, 57 H, 37 R, 36 ER, 31 BB, 77 SO, .256 Opp. BA
The Weekend Starters pic.twitter.com/2QMkKvkFxZ
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 7, 2026
Weather Forecast
The Rebels and Aggies should have favorable weather conditions Friday night at Swayze Field. The National Weather Service forecast calls for clear skies, mostly sunny with temperatures in the mid 70s. There’ll be a slight south wind moving at five miles an hour.
How to Watch: No. 9 Texas A&M at No. 20 Ole Miss
- Who: No. 9 Texas A&M Aggies (36-10, 15-8 SEC) at No. 20 Ole Miss Rebels (32-17, 12-12 SEC)
- When: 6:30 p.m., Friday
- Where: Swayze Field, Oxford, Miss.
- TV: SECN+
- Radio: Live Radio
- Stats: Live Stats
- Series History: Ole Miss leads the all-time series 21-20
- Last Meeting: Texas A&M 6, Ole Miss 0 (May 12, 2024)
- Last time out, Rebels: lost to No. 22 Arkansas, 5-4
- Last time out, Aggies: def. Prairie View A&M, 16-7
Reb Threads 🧵 pic.twitter.com/PKO9J5bRxq
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 8, 2026
Student-Athlete Availability Report
Texas A&M
Out
- IF/P #2 Nico Partida
- P #12 Josh Stewart
- P #28 Caden McCoy
Ole Miss
Out
- P #17 Marko Sipila
- P #29 Grayson Gibson
