Ole Miss baseball advances to College World Series with 5-3 win over Auburn

AUBURN, Ala. — Ole Miss baseball earned its seventh all-time trip to the NCAA College World Series with a 5-3 victory over No. 5 Auburn on Saturday at Samford Stadium-Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park.

The Rebels (41-21) sealed their spot in Omaha with clutch hitting and strong pitching. Will Furniss and Tristan Bissetta hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning, breaking a tie and giving Ole Miss a two-run lead. Judd Utermark drove in the team’s first two runs with a double in the sixth inning.

Ole Miss pitcher Taylor Rabe threw seven innings, striking out eight and allowing only one walk. The senior’s performance marked his fifth quality start of the season. Relief pitchers JP Robertson and Walker Hooks finished the game, with Hooks earning his ninth save, the most in a single season by a Rebel since 2022.

Auburn took an early 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, capitalizing on a double and a runner caught in a rundown. Ole Miss responded in the sixth, tying the game on Utermark’s double that scored Decker and Randle. The Rebels then took control in the eighth with Furniss’s two-run homer and Bissetta’s solo shot, providing insurance in the final inning.

Ole Miss will now prepare for the College World Series in Omaha, marking its first appearance since 2022. The Rebels’ head coach Mike Bianco tied the program record with three CWS appearances during his tenure, equaling Tom Swayze’s total.

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