Ole Miss baseball made a magical run in the summer of 2022 to secure the program’s first-ever national championship.
A title, of course, is the ultimate prize. But things have been pretty miserable for Mike Bianco and Co. outside of that month or so hot streak.
The Rebels have won just nine of their last 39 SEC games. They’re a combined 23-45 against league foes over the last three seasons. Ole Miss has been run-ruled in five out of its last six SEC series dating back to the 2023 campaign.
The Rebels (18-12, 3-6 SEC) were swept by visiting Kentucky last week, including being outscored 32-10 in the series’ final two games.
Ole Miss extended its losing streak to four games with a 9-4 loss to Memphis in the midweek.
“We’ve got to figure it out,” Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said. “At the end of the day, we talk about chemistry and leadership and all these different things, this is when it tests you — when you’re awful and you play bad and you don’t feel good. Can you stick together and continue to fight?”
Ole Miss has 27 total games (and about 75 percent of its SEC schedule) remaining.
Next up is a three-game road trip to No. 1 Arkansas (24-3, 8-1). The series opener on Thursday is set for 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network. The Rebels will send veteran RHP Riley Maddox to the bump for his second consecutive Friday night start after replacing Gunnar Dennis.
Maddox will oppose Arkansas LHP Hagen Smith.
“A lot of opportunity, but if we don’t play better than (we did against Kentucky), it’s not going to matter,” Bianco said. “But if we can play like we have and we’re capable, there’s a lot of games left.”
AROUND THE DIAMOND
Ole Miss freshman catcher Trenton Lyons got his first career start against Memphis. He was 1 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base. … The Rebels hit a season-high seven doubles in the loss. Ethan Lege and Judd Utermark were responsible for five of them. … Ole Miss is No. 13 in the NCAA in strikeouts per nine innings. The Rebels are averaging 10.8 punch-outs game-in and game-out.
Ole Miss has hit 45 home runs this season, the 32nd-highest mark in the country.
The Rebels have drawn 196 walks, the fourth-most nationally. THey’re averaging 6.53 a game. … Lege is the hardest hitter to strikeout in the SEC. He has just five Ks in 101 at-bats this season. … Connor Spencer has recorded five saves, tied for the most in the conference with Arkansas’ Gabe Gaeckle.
ARKANSAS SCOUTING REPORT
Three-time SEC Coach of the Year Dave Van Horn is in his 22nd season as Arkansas head coach. He’s led the Razorbacks to seven College World Series appearances, 19 NCAA Tournament berths and three SEC titles.
Van Horn and Bianco are two of only five coaches in the history of the sport with 300 or more SEC wins in a single career. Arkansas was 43-18 last season and reached the College World Series. The Razorbacks took down Santa Clara but fell to TCU to conclude their postseason run.
Arkansas is unanimously ranked No.1 in all five college baseball polls this week. The Razorbacks are coming off a three-game sweep of LSU and a Tuesday night win over Arkansas State.
Ole Miss and Arkansas are meeting for the 74th time in history. Arkansas took two of three from Ole Miss in Oxford a year ago to edge ahead of the Rebels in the all-time series, 37-36.
SATURDAY FISCH FRY
Saturday night’s quite all right for Duke transfer third baseman Andrew Fischer.
Fischer on Saturdays this season is hitting .387 (12 for 31) with eight home runs, 14 RBI and 13 runs scored. He’s hit at least one home run on four of seven Saturdays this season and two or more on three.
Fischer had five combined home runs in the first two Saturdays of SEC play. He drove in seven.
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