After snapping a four game losing streak on Tuesday against Little Rock, Ole Miss traveled to Gainesville looking to carry that momentum into their series against Florida. The momentum did indeed carry as the Rebels emerged victorious on Thursday night x-x over the Gators.
Taylor Rabe got the start, keeping Hunter Elliot and Cade Townsend on their normal rest, and showcased his ability to be a weekend starter in the SEC.
Rabe, who started the season in the bullpen, gave the Rebels exactly what they needed in his first conference start going 4.2 innings and giving up 3 runs on seven hits while striking out six and picking up his fourth win of the season.
The Rebels fell behind in the first, giving up a single to bring home the runner from second, but would take the lead in the top of the third and never look back.
After back-to-back walk to Tristan Bissetta and Will Furniss to open the inning, Collin Reuter would double down the left field line to bring Bissetta home and leave Ole Miss with runners on second and third with no outs.
Dom Decker would hit a ball to the second baseman to bring Furniss home and leave Reuter on third. After Brayden Randle grounded out 1u, a Cannon Goldin single up the middle would drive Reuter home and give the Rebels a 3-1 lead.
Goldin, a freshman, received the start in left field tonight and went 2-2 in his plate appearances before Topher Jones came on to pinch hit for him in the fifth. Jones wouldn’t make a defensive appearance for the Rebels, with starting center fielder Hayden Federico sliding into the left field slot and freshman Brett Moseley coming in to cover center.
Ole Miss would strike again in the top of the fifth, after Dom Decker was hit by a pitch with one away Brayden Randle hit his second home run of the season over the wall in right field to extend the Rebel lead to 5-1 heading to the bottom of the fifth.
In the bottom of the fifth Florida would respond with its own two run shot off Rabe to cut the Ole Miss lead back to two.
After giving up a single with two outs, Rabe would finish his day on the mound and Hudson Calhoun would enter the game in the bottom of the fifth. Calhoun would quickly end the fifth on a foul out and go on to pitch two scoreless innings, giving up two hits and a walk while striking out one batter.
In the top of the sixth the Rebels would add an insurance run with Judd Utermark being driven home on a double by Furniss, after Utermark doubled to lead off the inning.
With the Gators having runners on first and second with two out in the seventh, Landon Waters would come on to relieve Calhoun. Waters would go on to close out the game throwing 2.1 innings and giving up just one hit, a solo homer in the eighth, while striking out three and walking one.
The Ole Miss splits, while still not where they would like, looked much better than last weekend with the Rebels going 3-14 with RISP and 6 for 22 with runners on.
Next Up
The Rebels will be back in action tomorrow night in Gainesville against Florida, with first pitch at 5:30 PM central time. Ole Miss will have ace Hunter Elliott on the mound as they look to take their second conference series of the season. The game will be available to stream on the SEC Network+.
