Ole Miss Baseball Looks to Even Series Against Mississippi State

The Rebels will host the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon in a crucial SEC matchup.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 5:33pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fragmented, geometric painting in bold primary colors, depicting the action and movement of a college baseball game through Picasso-esque abstraction.A cubist interpretation of the intense rivalry between Ole Miss and Mississippi State baseball, capturing the dynamic energy and competitive spirit of their high-stakes SEC series.Mississippi State Today

Ole Miss baseball will look to even their best-of-three SEC series against in-state rival Mississippi State on Saturday afternoon at Swayze Field. The Rebels suffered a narrow 5-4 loss in Game 1 despite home runs from Judd Utermark and Austin Fawley. Ole Miss now faces an uphill battle to keep their postseason hopes alive against the highly ranked Bulldogs.

Why it matters

This series is a crucial one for both programs as they jockey for position in the SEC standings. Ole Miss is looking to bounce back from their Game 1 defeat and even the series, while Mississippi State aims to take a commanding lead. The outcome could have major implications for both teams' NCAA Tournament aspirations.

The details

Ole Miss (19-8, 3-4 SEC) will host Mississippi State (22-4, 5-2 SEC) on Saturday afternoon at Swayze Field. In the series opener, the Rebels got home runs from Judd Utermark and Austin Fawley but ultimately fell 5-4 to the Bulldogs. Utermark's blast was the 40th of his career, tying him for fifth-most in Ole Miss history. Saturday's game will be streamed live on SEC Network+, while Sunday's matchup will air on SEC Network.

  • The series opener took place on Friday, March 27, 2026.
  • Saturday's game is scheduled for March 28, 2026.
  • The series finale is set for Sunday, March 29, 2026.

The players

Mike Bianco

The head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels baseball team.

Judd Utermark

An Ole Miss slugger who hit his 40th career home run in the series opener, tying him for fifth-most in program history.

Austin Fawley

An Ole Miss player who also hit a home run in the series opener against Mississippi State.

Bryce Chance

The leading hitter for the Mississippi State Bulldogs with a .452 batting average.

Reese

A Mississippi State player who leads the team with 12 doubles and 34 RBIs.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The winner of Saturday's game will have the opportunity to clinch the series on Sunday. The losing team will need to win both remaining games to take the series.

The takeaway

This in-state rivalry matchup between Ole Miss and Mississippi State has major implications for both teams' postseason aspirations. The Rebels will look to even the series on Saturday and keep their hopes alive, while the Bulldogs aim to take a commanding lead in the best-of-three set.