Heroes and Highlights: Moerman rewarding Ole Miss’ patience, homers again in win over USM
The fall intrasquad season was a struggle for Illinois transfer outfielder Ryan Moerman.
He wasn’t hitting. Instant-impact offense was the primary reason Ole Miss signed him out of the portal. Moerman was a two-time All-Big Ten second-teamer and a career .276 hitter for the Illini. He had 31 home runs, 21 doubles, 104 RBI and a .530 slugging percentage over three seasons.
He was worried about the first impression he was making. Ole Miss is coming off back-to-back losing seasons following the program’s first-ever national title in the summer of 2022. The urgency to win has never been higher.
Moerman walked into the office of long-time hitting coach Mike Clement. His appeal was simple.
“Don’t give up on me yet,” he said.
Clement reassured Moerman the Rebel coaches still very much believed in him. Moerman has rewarded the patience with a blistering start to the 2025 season.
Moerman was one of four Rebels to hit a home run in a 15-8, slugfest of a win for No. 24 Ole Miss over No. 22 Southern Miss Tuesday night. The Rebels moved to 7-1 on the season and already have three ranked wins.
Next is a three-game series against Wright State at Swayze Field this weekend.
“That didn’t look like a typical USM pitching staff,” Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said. “We made them work, took the walks and really hit well in the late innings.”
Moerman tied Luke Hill for the team lead in home runs (3).
Hill reached base and scored three times in the win.
Moerman is up to 34 home runs for his career. He went back-to-back with New Orleans transfer Mitch Sanford in the bottom of the eighth.
Moerman is one of just five Rebels to start all eight games. He entered play third on the team in batting average and fourth in slugging. He’s now up to .321, while also scoring a season-high three runs.
“It’s been a blast,” Moerman said of his Ole Miss experience thus far. “I’ve absolutely loved playing here so far. The guys are great. We’ve got a great group of guys. Coaches have been awesome. I can’t wait until this place really packs out to see what it’s like.”
Moerman was one of the many stars of the game.
Another was Brayden Jones.
Ole Miss used six pitchers to navigate the win. Jones and Connor Spencer were the only Rebels who didn’t give up a run. Jones went 1.2 innings and allowed one hit with a strikeout.
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He relieved Gunnar Dennis with the bases loaded and no outs in the sixth. Jones escaped, and eventually earned his first win, with a fielder’s choice, pop up and strike out swinging.
“That was the turning point,” Bianco said. “He’s just been electric. BJ’s stuff has ticked up, and that was the lift we needed.”
True freshman shortstop Owen Paino managed just one hit in his first 17 college at-bats.
He let out all his frustrations for his second.
The lefty-swinging Paino turned on hanging breaking ball from Southern Miss left-handed reliever Brooks Willoughby for a 417-foot solo homer in the bottom half of the sixth. The blast extended the Ole Miss lead to 11-7.
Paino had two RBI in the win. Fellow freshman Hayden Federico, making his third straight start, stayed hot by reaching base three times (one hit, two walks) in four at-bats.
“The Rebs are back, I’m back and we’re just going to keep the momentum going,” Paino said afterwards.
