Ole Miss defeated No. 15 Kentucky 12-9 on Saturday at Swayze Field in Oxford, Mississippi, clinching the three-game series. The Rebels (19-6, 3-3 SEC) had lost the first two games but staged a comeback to earn the victory.
The Wildcats jumped ahead 2-0 in the top of the first inning. Ole Miss responded with a four-run fourth, highlighted by a grand slam from Daniel Pacella, to take a 5-2 lead. Kentucky regained the lead with six runs in the top of the fifth, making it 8-5.
In the bottom of the sixth, Hayden Federico scored on a sacrifice fly, narrowing the gap to 8-6. The Rebels then took the lead in the seventh with a solo homer from Tristan Bissetta, followed by back-to-back home runs from Collin Reuter and Bissetta to put Ole Miss ahead 9-8.
Kentucky tied the game 9-9 with a leadoff homer from Tyler Bell in the eighth. Will Furniss responded with a two-run single to center later that inning, giving Ole Miss an 11-9 lead. The Rebels added another run on a sacrifice fly by Bissetta, extending their lead to 12-9.
Ole Miss pitcher Walker Hooks held Kentucky scoreless in the ninth, earning his first win of the season. Hooks allowed three hits, struck out five, and walked one. Kentucky’s Burkley Bounds took the loss for the Wildcats.
Furniss led the Rebels with three hits, while Reuter added two. Kentucky finished with 12 hits but committed three errors, which proved costly. Ole Miss will face Memphis on Tuesday in their next game.
