Rebels fall to Murray State in Regional opener

Published 7:25 am Saturday, May 31, 2025

By Staff Report

By Jeff Roberson

Ole Miss Sports

 

Ole Miss fell behind Murray State early in Friday night’s Oxford Regional and ultimately fell to the Racers 9-6.

The Rebels (40-20) face Western Kentucky (46-14) at 1 p.m. Saturday. The Hilltoppers lost to Georgia Tech 9-2 on Friday.

Murray State (40-13) jumped on the Rebels from the start as the first pitch of the game from Riley Maddox was sent over the right center fence by Jonathan Hogart for a quick 1-0 Racer lead. MSU wasn’t finished in the top of the first as second batter Dustin Mercer doubled down the third base line. Carson Garner then singled up the middle and Mercer moved to third. Garner advanced to second on a wild pitch.

With runners on second and third, Dom Decker, the cleanup batter, walked to load the bases. There were still no outs. Luke Mistone reached on a fielder’s choice to score Mercer and a 2-0 lead for MSU. A fly out and a strikeout for Maddox ended a rough start for the home team.

The Rebels stranded two in the bottom of the first, and MSU headed to the second to add to their lead. Charlie Jury walked, and Conner Cunningham reached on a fielder’s choice as Jury was out at second. Hogart singled for his second hit of the game. Mercer doubled down the third base line, scoring Cunningham. Garner flew out to left to score Hogard.

The Rebels found themselves down 4-0 as the game headed to the bottom of the second where they failed to score. After the Racers finally put up a zero in the top of the third, Ole Miss got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third.

Luke Cheng struck out followed by a Mitchell Sanford walk. Luke Hill reached on a fielder’s choice with Sanford out at second. Will Furniss walked, and Judd Utermark homered over the batter’s eye in center field to cut the MSU lead to 4-3.

Mason Morris replaced Maddox with a Racer on first base in the top of the fourth. The junior right-hander was able to keep things where they were, the Rebels down just 4-3.

Ole Miss took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Campbell Smithwick led off with a solo homer to right to tie the game 4-4. A Hill base hit got Cheng home who had reached on a single and the Rebels were in the lead for the first time.

However, in the top of the fifth and sixth, the Racers added a run in each to retake the lead 6-5.

Gunnar Dennis started the seventh on the mound, replacing Morris. The score remained Racers 6, Rebels 5 at the seventh-inning stretch time.

After 105 pitches through six innings, MSU starter Nic Shutte, a right-hander, was back out on the mound for the Racers to start the bottom of the seventh. With one out and a walk for Hill, Murray State made a pitching change, going with right-hander Jacob Hustedde.

Hill advanced to second on a wild pitch from Hustedde. Furniss singled to deep right center to score Hill and tied the game at 6-6.

Right-hander Will McCausland started the top of the eighth and gave up a leadoff walk to Cunningham. With two outs in the inning, Dom Decker singled to right field to score Cunningham who was on third. MSU led 7-6.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Rebels came up empty, and in the top of the ninth the Racers added two runs for a three-run lead.

Ole Miss got the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the ninth but failed to score.

Hustedde (2-0) got the win for MSU, while McCausland (2-1) got the loss. Graham Kelham got the save for Murray State.

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