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Luke Cheng earns No. 9 Ole Miss run-rule win over Jackson State in midweek action

11by:Jake Thompson•04/01/25•

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Ole Miss second baseman Luke Cheng hits a home run in the seventh inning against Jackson State at Oxford-University Stadium on April 1, 2025. Mandatory credit: Ole Miss athletics

Luke Cheng was going to sit the midweek game out against Jackson State, still nursing an injury suffered last Thursday when he collided with Mitchell Sanford, but his number was called and came through for No. 9 Ole Miss.

Cheng hit his second home run of the season, lifting the Rebels to a 18-7 win in seven innings over the Tigers at Oxford-University Stadium.

“It’s been a rough few weeks but I’m just glad to be out here,” Cheng said after the game.

The transfer infielder is not 100 percent and playing through pain. There was not a plan to play him but then there was some shifting around the infield that caused him to go to second base in the later stages of the game.

Turns out it was the right move in a game that became closer than it should have.

Ole Miss (22-6) took a 12-0 lead after five innings and looked to be coasting to an easy run-rule win over Jackson State (16-11) before heading up to Kentucky on Wednesday.

Then the easy night at the office became harder when the Tigers scored seven runs in the sixth inning off Cade Townsend and Hudson Calhoun. Townsend accounted for most of the damage and responsible five of the runs, two earned.

“It’s tough for freshman. Especially guys that come in with the accolades that he has and the expecations,” Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said of Townsend. “It’s hard for freshman. People don’t get it. He’s super talented and we’ve watched a lot of talented freshmen come in and maybe not get out of the gate the way they want. He’s shown it in conference games. He’s just been a little too inconsistent.”

Ole Miss put up big numbers on the scoreboard but they could have been even bigger.

Through the first two innings the Rebels stranded six men on base, finishing the game with a total of 11 men left on base.

Then there were the 18 walks and three batters hit by a pitch four times. Owen Paino was hit twice. Despite 22 free bases the Ole Miss bats did not cash in as many of the opportunities as they could, or should, have.

The Rebels scored 18 runs, all earned, on 10 hits leaving a little meat on the proverbial bone.

“It’s one of those ugly games, you know, I think on both sides,” Bianco said. “Early on we leave a ton of runners on and you want to extend the lead. We got a lot of free passes and we just didn’t really make the big hit, leaving bases loaded.

Ole Miss resumes Southeastern Conference play on Thursday, starting up a three-game series with the Wildcats (17-9, 4-5 SEC). First pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network.

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