What causes the fear that leads teams to cancel midweek games didn’t show up Tuesday night at Swayze Field.
No. 15 Ole Miss scored 12 runs in the first two innings against UT Martin, and the Skyhawks never made things interesting after that.
Teams like Kentucky, who cited other reasons, cancelled their late‑season midweek games to avoid damaging their RPI. It became common enough that NCAA Division I Baseball Oversight Committee chairperson Michael Alford issued a memo reminding teams that the selection committee could penalize programs for cancelling games.
Ole Miss won’t have to worry about that.
The Rebels led 15‑1 after three innings, with the loudest swing coming from Judd Utermark. On the first pitch he saw, Utermark set a new all‑time home run record at Ole Miss, launching a 383‑foot shot for career homer No. 49, passing Kyle Gordon.
https://t.co/628pFZMkrC pic.twitter.com/X2651Nhhgz
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 13, 2026
That accounted for the two runs in the first inning, and Ole Miss poured it on in the second with 10 runs on six hits. Austin Fawley hit his 10th home run of the season to cap the inning.
Ole Miss added three more in the third, none in the fourth and another fifth.
Overall, it should be a confidence‑boosting night at the plate heading into the final weekend of the season. Plenty of hits and just five strikeouts is exactly what Ole Miss fans wanted to see.
The Rebels didn’t send their best arms to the mound, but they still got solid work. Wil Libbert pitched three steady innings in his first start since late March, allowing one run on three hits and a walk while striking out three. All three strikeouts came in the second inning.
Seeing Libbert throw well has to be reassuring for the Ole Miss staff. Tournament baseball can burn through pitchers fast, and the Rebels need as many usable arms as possible. Libbert should be an option.
A 1-2-3 4th inning for the Rebs🔒 pic.twitter.com/HKfKo9DTWA
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 13, 2026
For the most part, the pitchers after Libbert did their jobs. But the Skyhawks did make things interesting by threatening to avoid the run-rule, scoring four runs in the sixth inning.
But Ole Miss responded with an insurance in the bottom half and held the Skyhawks scoreless to finish the game.
Pitching Decisions
- WP: Owen Kelly (3-2), 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 4 K, HP
- LP: Dean McCalla (1-1), 1.1 IP, 7 H, 10 R, 3 BB, 2 K
Ole Miss Batting Leaders
- Tristan Bissetta: 1-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB
- Judd Utermark: 2-2, 3 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR, 1 BB
- Will Furniss: 2-4, 1 R, 5 RBI, 1 2B
- Austin Fawley: 2-3, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 HR
Next Up
It’s the final weekend of the regular season, and it comes with real postseason implications.
The number everyone has circled for months is sixteen. That’s been the general benchmark for Ole Miss to host an NCAA Regional. The Rebels sit at fourteen SEC wins right now, which means the path is simple enough: win the series against No. 18 Alabama.
The Crimson Tide (35-17, 16-11) are in a good spot to host as well, but a series loss could put that in question. That combination sets up a weekend that should have plenty of urgency on both sides.
Game one is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday in Tuscaloosa, Ala. and will stream on SECN+.
