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Hunter Elliott returned to ace form while the Ole Miss offense returned in win over No. 6 Auburn

11by:Jake Thompson•05/15/25•

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Ole Miss third baseman Luke Hill. Mandatory credit: Ole Miss athletics

Just when it is time to count Ole Miss baseball out it finds a way to pull everyone back in.

Needing to get at least a pair of wins this weekend against No. 6 Auburn to keep the faint hosting pulse alive, the Rebels are halfway there after Thursday’s 9-2 win at Oxford-University Stadium.

Hunter Elliott looked like the ace he is supposed to be and for the first time in Southeastern Conference play Ole Miss scored nine runs without the help of a home run.

For the first time since 2021 the Rebels (36-17) are guaranteed a .500 or better record in SEC play currently sitting at 15-13 with two more to play. A lot of positive things to start the final weekend of the regular season.

Elliott worked a season-high seven innings of shutout baseball, taming one of the hotter offenses in college baseball currently. He gave up four hits and a pair of walks while also striking out eight Tiger batters.

“I would say I felt really good. I felt really under control,” Elliott said. “I really attacked early in counts. I got some first one strike, two strike early, which I don’t think I’ve done a particularly great job of doing this year. I think it’s the most in control I felt, I would say.”

After looking more than anemic at the plate in the last couple SEC series the Rebel bats woke up and managed to string some hits and runs together throughout the game.

Auburn starter Cam Tilly kept Ole Miss in check through the first four innings but then the Rebels broke through with a pair of runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Things broke open with a five-run seventh inning.

Right fielder Ryan Moerman went 2-for-3 on the night with three runs batted in. Judd Utermark went 1-for-5 but his 2-RBI single in the seventh provided him his 50th and 51st RBIs of the season, leading the team.

Seven of the Ole Miss starters recorded a hit.

“We knew (Tilly) was going to pitch well. We had our approach and I think we just stuck with it,” Moerman said. “We grinded out some good at-bats and were able to get some runs on him.”

Thursday’s win sets up the weekend positively for the Rebels. Mason Morris was held with Will McCausland, Ryne Rodriguez and Alex Canney working the final two innings. McCausland threw 13 pitches, making him potentially available for Saturday’s finale if he is needed.

But bigger picture Ole Miss now just needs one of the final two games against Auburn (37-16, 16-12) to set up the chance to play well in next week’s SEC Tournament and possibly back their way into a host seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The proverbial cart is in front of the horse there but that is what the win has done, beyond putting a better taste in the mouth for the Rebels after last weekend.

Friday’s game is moved up to a 6 p.m. CT first pitch due to weather expected to roll into the Oxford area later that night. Game will no longer air on SEC Network due to the time change and now be back on SEC Network+

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