OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss finished its non-conference baseball schedule with an 8-3 win over Evansville on Sunday at Swayze Field. The Rebels improved to 15-2, while Evansville dropped to 3-11.
The Rebels scored in each of the first five innings, jumping out to an early lead. They scored three runs in the third and two in the fifth, building a six-run advantage until the ninth inning. Evansville scored its first two runs in the second inning to take an early 2-1 lead.
Ole Miss starter Wil Libbert pitched five innings, allowing two runs on three hits with five strikeouts to earn his second win of the season. Evansville’s early runs came in the second inning, but Libbert kept the Purple Aces at bay afterward.
The Rebels responded with a run in the first inning when Judd Utermark scored on a sacrifice fly by Collin Reuter. In the third, Tristan Bissetta homered to right field, scoring Utermark and Will Furniss and giving Ole Miss a 5-2 lead. Brayden Randle added a solo home run in the fourth to extend the lead to 6-2.
In the fifth, Bissetta singled and scored on a fielder’s choice by Randle. An error allowed Utermark to score, pushing Ole Miss ahead 8-2. Walker Hooks pitched 2.2 innings of relief, striking out six and allowing only two hits. Landon Waters and Patrick Collopy finished the game on the mound.
Evansville’s Kevin Reed took the loss, falling to 2-2. The Purple Aces totaled five hits in the game. Ole Miss had seven hits, led by Bissetta with two. The Rebels will open Southeastern Conference play this weekend at Texas.
Ole Miss will face Southern Mississippi on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Hattiesburg. Fans are encouraged to join Rebel Rewards, the team’s loyalty program, for exclusive prizes. Follow Ole Miss baseball on social media for updates.
