Mississippi State Baseball Rallies in Ninth to Defeat Ole Miss

Mississippi State rallied late to beat Ole Miss 5-4 on March 27 at Swayze Field in Oxford. The game was the first of a three-game series between two ranked SEC rivals.

MSU improved to 22-4 overall and 5-2 in the conference. Ole Miss fell to 19-8 and 3-4 in SEC play.

Late rally decides game

Mississippi State staged a two-run top of the ninth to take the lead. Chone James delivered the decisive RBI with a single to right field.

James advanced to third when Ole Miss right fielder Tristan Bissetta slipped on wet outfield grass. That error set up the winning margin and handed MSU the victory.

Key performances and turning points

• Austin Fawley hit a three-run homer to give Ole Miss the lead earlier in the late innings.
• Judd Utermark provided an earlier solo home run to put Ole Miss ahead in the fourth.
• Noah Sullivan doubled to drive in a run for Mississippi State during the middle innings.

Mississippi State starter Charlie Foster allowed one earned run and two hits. Ole Miss starter Hunter Elliott worked into the sixth, logging multiple innings for the Rebels.

Tyler Pitzer earned the win for MSU and improved his record to 2-1. Taylor Rabe took the loss for Ole Miss and is now 3-1.

Injuries and pitching notes

Mississippi State announced that pitcher Ryan McPherson has a mild forearm strain and is doubtful for the immediate future. McPherson was 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA before the injury.

Ole Miss listed Cade Townsend as day-to-day with a shoulder issue. Townsend entered the weekend with a 4-1 record and a 0.92 ERA.

Broadcast and schedule

The game aired on 96.1 FM and streamed via the MSU Hail State app and the Ole Miss radio network. The matchup was also available on SEC Network+.

Sam Hutchens provided coverage of the game for Filmogaz.com. The Bulldogs’ ninth-inning comeback underscored why Mississippi State baseball remains a national contender.