KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 25 Ole Miss Baseball (28-11, 9-7 SEC) hit three home runs as they defeated Tennessee (25-13, 7-9 SEC) in game one of the series in Knoxville.
Hunter Elliott put together his third quality start of the season, second in a row, working six-plus innings and giving up just three runs while striking out five. He issued just one walk and has now only issued two over his last two starts.
Hayden Federico finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and hit his first home run of the season. Judd Utermark and Tristan Bissetta also hit home runs in the win.
Tennessee scored first Friday night as Reese Chapman hit a solo home run in the first inning. Federico answered back in the top of the second with his solo home run, a 102 MPH shot that hit the videoboard in right field.
In the top of the third, Bissetta and Utermark hit back-to-back solo home runs to make it 3-1 Ole Miss.
The Rebels added another run in the fourth on a Dom Decker RBI single and two more in the fifth to take a 6-1 lead.
Tennessee scratched a run across in the fifth to make it 6-2 heading into the sixth inning.
Elliott induced double plays to end both the fifth and sixth innings and would come back out for the seventh inning with just 87 pitches thrown. He gave up a single on the first pitch of the seventh and was lifted for Hudson Calhoun.
Calhoun gave up a two-run home run to the first batter he faced, and the next one reached on an error. He then settled in and retired the final six hitters he faced.
Walker Hooks came out in the ninth inning to handle the save opportunity with the Rebels leading by three. He retired all three batters he faced via groundouts and locked down his third save of the season.
Saturday’s game was originally scheduled for 5 p.m. CT but has now been moved up to 3 p.m. CT due to inclement weather in the forecast.