Ole Miss Looks to Bounce Back Against Florida in Series Finale

Cade Townsend takes the mound as the Rebels aim to clinch the series against the Gators.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 7:18pm

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After falling 2-0 to No. 21 Florida on Friday, Ole Miss will send ace Cade Townsend to the mound on Saturday night as they look to bounce back and clinch the series against the Gators. The Rebels were limited to just six hits in the series opener, and will need more offensive production to take down Florida in the rubber match.

Why it matters

This is a crucial SEC series for both teams as they look to position themselves for the postseason. Ole Miss is currently 4-7 in conference play and needs to pick up key wins, while Florida is 7-4 in the SEC and looking to solidify their standing as a top-25 program.

The details

In the series opener, Ole Miss starter Hunter Elliott struck out nine Gators over four innings but was tagged with the loss after Florida scored two runs in the third inning. The Rebels had their chances, reaching base in five of the nine innings, but were unable to capitalize. Now they'll turn to Cade Townsend, who has pitched like an ace at times this season, to try and lead them to the series victory.

  • The series finale is scheduled for Saturday, April 4th at 6:30 PM ET.
  • Friday's game was delayed over two hours due to lightning in the Gainesville area.

The players

Cade Townsend

The Ole Miss right-hander has a 2-1 record with a 1.90 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 23.2 innings pitched this season.

Russell Sandefer

The Florida right-hander will be making his second weekend start, posting a 4.24 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 17 innings so far this year.

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What they’re saying

“Elliott's 9th K to end the 4th”

— Ole Miss Baseball

What’s next

The winner of Saturday's series finale will take the weekend series between Ole Miss and Florida.

The takeaway

This matchup between the Rebels and Gators is a crucial SEC showdown, with both teams looking to gain ground in the conference standings and position themselves for a strong postseason push. The pitching duel between Townsend and Sandefer will be one to watch, as Ole Miss tries to bounce back from Friday's shutout loss.