What we learned about Ole Miss following a series win at Auburn
While Ole Miss notched its first SEC road series win of 2024 — and its first since May of 2022 at LSU — over the weekend at Auburn, the way Sunday’s finale unfolded might sting for a day of two.
After taking the first two games of the series, the Rebels (25-22, 9-15 SEC) jumped out to a 5-0 lead in Game 3 behind home runs from sophomore designated hitter Andrew Fischer and junior right fielder Treyson Hughes. Auburn tied the game in the fourth and took their first lead of the game in the seventh. Ole Miss tied the game at six in the eighth inning with a solo home run from senior left fielder Jackson Ross. The Tigers responded with two solo home runs in the bottom of the inning to retake the lead heading into the ninth.
Fischer hit a bases-clearing double in the ninth, putting the Rebels ahead 9-8. Auburn tied the game with a two-out RBI single. The runner advanced to third base on a wild pitch and stolen base and came around to score the game-winning run on a passed ball.
Ole Miss won its third SEC series of the season and is still in good position to make it to the SEC Tournament after a one-year hiatus. But Sunday’s ending was a “kick in the gut,” according to head coach Mike Bianco.
Ole Miss hosts Murray State Wednesday at 5 p.m. and hosts No. 3 Texas A&M for a three-games series starting Friday.
“I thought we just struggled (in the bullpen for the most part Sunday),” Bianco said. “We struggled to be in good counts, and they just seemed to have a really good day offensively … You have to credit them, a team that’s had a really tough year and (to) be there with nobody on and two outs in the bottom of the ninth and went to pull it away. Not a good enough day for us.”
Fischer was one of the stars of the weekend, as the Duke transfer hit three home runs and drove in 11 RBIs against Auburn. Fischer is now tied for eighth in the SEC with 18 home runs. It was also a big series at the plate for sophomore second baseman Luke Hill, as he went 6 for 12 and raised his batting average from .267 to .284. He did make two errors, though, and the Rebels made five in the series. Ole Miss allowed seven unearned runs against Auburn.
Ole Miss has made a conference-high 57 errors, 12 more than the next closest team. The Rebels also lead the league with 17 passed balls, seven more than second-place Mississippi State.
Pitching for the Rebels was largely strong the first two games. Junior Riley Maddox pitched five innings in the opener and gave up one earned run while relievers gave up three earned runs over four innings, with two coming off senior Connor Spencer in the ninth. Junior Josh Mallitz and freshman Wes Mendes pitched 5.1 innings in relief of sophomore Liam Doyle without giving up an earned run in Game 2.
Sophomore J.T. Quinn had three key strikeouts in the eighth inning of the opener to help preserve the Rebels’ lead. He came back in Game 3 and pitched a perfect seventh inning before surrendering a pair of solo home runs in the eighth and the game-tying hit in the ninth. Sophomore Mason Morris pitched three total innings over the weekend and surrendered one earned run with three strikeouts and four walks.
Mendes had one of his best outings of the season in the opener, pitching three hitless innings with one strikeout and a walk.
Ole Miss’ game with Murray State on Wednesday is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
