WATCH: Ole Miss defensive lineman hits first college home run

For most college football players, they are in the thick of offseason workouts with spring practice just around the corner. For others, like Ole Miss Rebels defensive tackle Tywone Malone, it’s baseball season and the only thing on the menu are home runs.

During Ole Miss’ Sunday game against the VCU Rams, Malone stepped up to the plate in the seventh inning. After taking the first pitch as a strike, the 6’4, 315-pound two-sport player got a hold of one, hitting a two-run home run into the student section and extending the Rebels lead to 14-3.

You can watch it here.

You asked, we answered.@TywoneMalone | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/lceyrKCJiy

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 27, 2022

“It felt amazing,” Malone said in a video posted by the Rebels’ Twitter account. “It wasn’t like it would usually be with packed stand but it was good to get that one out of the way. Looking forward to more. That’s all I got to say.”

Malone is listed as an infielder by the official Ole Miss baseball roster. He made his first appearance of the season on Friday against VCU, where the Rebels completed a two-game sweep on Sunday afternoon.

As a football recruit, Malone was a four-star prospect in the 2021 class. He was the No. 89 overall player according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting services. Malone ranked as the top guy to come out of his home state of New Jersey as well.

On the football field, Malone only appeared in one game during the season, recording three tackles, a tackle for a loss, and a sack. He will be working with a new defensive coordinator next year with Chris Partridge taking over on the defensive side of the ball.

Malone will continue to appear on the baseball diamond for the Ole Miss Rebels before getting back with football head coach Lane Kiffin and his staff.