Ole Miss Pitching Shines, But Bats Struggle in Loss to No. 7 Southern Mississippi

The Rebels' offense was held in check, managing just three hits in the 2-1 defeat.

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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Despite a strong pitching performance, Ole Miss' offense struggled to produce in a 2-1 loss to No. 7 Southern Mississippi. The Rebels managed just three hits on the night, with Tristan Bissetta's eighth home run of the season accounting for their lone run. Ole Miss had an opportunity to tie the game in the ninth inning but was unable to capitalize.

Why it matters

This loss comes as Ole Miss prepares to face No. 2 Texas in a tough early-season SEC matchup. The Rebels' inability to generate consistent offense against Southern Mississippi's pitching staff raises concerns about their ability to compete against the Longhorns' strong pitching.

The details

Ole Miss starter Taylor Rabe pitched 2.2 innings of shutout baseball, but the Rebels' bullpen was unable to hold the lead. Southern Mississippi tied the game in the fifth inning on a home run by Kyle Morrison, and the Golden Eagles won the game in the bottom of the ninth on a walk-off RBI single by Tucker Stockman.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, March 11, 2026.
  • Ole Miss and Texas will start their series on Friday, March 14, 2026 with a 6:30 p.m. CT first pitch.

The players

Taylor Rabe

An Ole Miss relief pitcher who started the game and pitched 2.2 innings of shutout baseball.

Tristan Bissetta

An Ole Miss player who hit his eighth home run of the season, accounting for the Rebels' lone run.

Kyle Morrison

A Southern Mississippi second baseman who hit a game-tying home run in the fifth inning.

Tucker Stockman

A Southern Mississippi player who hit the walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game for the Golden Eagles.

Mike Bianco

The head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels.

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What they’re saying

“He's been really good for us. So when I say that's about as good as I've seen him, that's a lot. He was really sharp. Really good stuff.”

— Mike Bianco, Head Coach, Ole Miss Rebels (on3.com)

“Unfortunately it comes down to who's going to get the timely hit and we had runners on in the ninth, had two opportunity's and not get it.”

— Mike Bianco, Head Coach, Ole Miss Rebels (on3.com)

What’s next

Ole Miss will travel to Austin to take on No. 2 Texas in a crucial early-season SEC matchup starting on Friday, March 14, 2026.

The takeaway

While Ole Miss' pitching staff performed well, the Rebels' offense struggled to produce against Southern Mississippi, raising concerns about their ability to compete against top-ranked pitching staffs like Texas' as they enter SEC play.