Rebels vs. Bulldogs: Rivalry series could define Ole Miss’ postseason fate

Ole Miss baseball is on the hosting bubble with seven games remaining in the regular season. 

The Rebels this week were projected as a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament by both D1Baseball and Baseball America. 

Ole Miss (33-15, 13-11 SEC) likely needs at least back-to-back series wins at Mississippi State and against Auburn, not to mention a win or two in the SEC Tournament in Hoover, especially after a series loss at then-No. 21 Oklahoma last week.

All 16 SEC teams now participate in the league’s annual postseason tournament following the additions of Oklahoma and Texas. The single-elimination format will be played from May 20-25 at the Hoover Met Stadium.

The Bulldogs (29-19, 7-14) are 4-0, including a sweep of Kentucky, since firing national-title-winning head coach Chris Lemonis. Mississippi State outscored the Wildcats 26-10 over three games.

Ole Miss has won 30-plus games for the first time since its own title season in 2022. The Rebels have four SEC series wins, which matches the combined total of the last two seasons.

Ole Miss is one of just six Division I teams with 12 or more Quad 1 wins this season.

“Winning is the most important thing you can do right now, and for Ole Miss, that is especially the case,” Baseball America’s Jacob Rudner said. “They’re going to need to go and win and take care of business with their remaining schedule. Obviously a series against a very charged-up Mississippi State team is going to be an interesting one to follow. 

“If they’re able to take care of business, I feel like they’re going to be right on the bubble to earn a hosting spot. The SEC Tournament is a good opportunity; I don’t think it’s going to be a great opportunity. If you’re Ole Miss you really don’t want to have to leave it to your performance in that situation to determine your seeding. 

“But in their case with this bubble resume on the hosting line, I could see them going to Hoover and winning, let’s say, two or three games there and strengthening their case and doing themselves a huge favor.”

HOW TO WATCH

Television/Online: SEC Network
Play-by-Play: Derek Jones (Friday); Bart Gregory (Saturday and Sunday)
Color: Lance Cormier (Friday); Charlie Winfield (Saturday and Sunday)

HOW TO LISTEN

Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Play-by-Play: David Kellum
Color: Brad Henderson

SERIES HISTORY

Mississippi State leads the all-time series, 267-214-5. Ole Miss, however, has won three of the last five meetings, including an 8-7 comeback win in the Governor’s Cup in Pearl on April 22.

The Rebels took the series last season in Oxford in a wild three games. They were shut out in the first, won in 12 innings in the second, and run-ruled the in-state rival in the Sunday rubber match. The Bulldogs that season claimed the Governor’s Cup and later bounced Ole Miss from the SEC Tournament.

Bracket Watch: Where is Ole Miss in latest Field of 64 projections entering season’s final two weeks

SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE

Senior first baseball Hunter Hines has 65 career home runs, the second-most in school history. He needs two more to tie the school record set by Rafael Palmeiro. 

Two-way threat Noah Sullivan has reached base in 31 consecutive games. He’s leads the team with 13 doubles, 48 runs scored and a .478 on-base percentage. Sullivan is second in hits (55), home runs (11) and RBI (37). He’s pitched to a 1.96 ERA in seven midweek starts as a pitcher. 

Mississippi State is second nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.32) and fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (11.7). The Bulldogs will throw LHP Pico Kohn (5-2, 3.90 ERA, 29 ER, 93 SO, 18 BB) opposite Ole Miss LHP Hunter Elliott (6-3, 3.71 ERA) on Friday.

Kohn has struck out a career-high 11 or more on three different occasions in 2025.

AROUND THE (Ole Miss) DIAMOND

1. Ole Miss was ranked in all five polls this week. The high-water mark was No. 15 by the National College Baseball Writers Association.
2. Veteran shortstop Luke Hill is riding a 32-game on-base streak. He’s reached base in every SEC game. Hill’s Top 10 in the conference in walks (39), walks per game (0.83), hits (62), runs scored (52) and runs per game (1.11).
3. Fawley has hit a home run in nine of his last 14 games. Fawley is responsible for the most home runs of any Ole Miss catcher in the Mike Bianco era.
4. Hudson Calhoun has struck out 12 of the last 22 batters he’s faced.
5. The Rebels are second in the SEC in team walks drawn (273). 
6. Ole Miss has stolen 63 bases, their highest total since in six years. 
7. Hayden Federico is one stolen base shy of tying the Ole Miss freshman single-season record (12).
8. Ole Miss has hit 88 home runs this season, Top 10 in the NCAA and fourth-most in the SEC. The Rebels are 10th nationally in home runs per game (1.83 per game).
9. The Rebel pitching staff is ranked eighth in the NCAA in K/9 (11.2) and 15th in K:BB at 2.76.