How It Happened: Ole Miss Baseball Falls in Oxford Regional Final to Murray State

OXFORD, Miss. – The Rebels almost made it all the way back. Ole Miss was down nine runs to Murray State through seventh inning stretch time in the championship game of the 2025 Oxford Regional.

Ultimately the eight runs the Rebels scored during the final three innings wasn't enough with Racers coming out on top 12-11.

The Racers, 42-14, advance to a Super Regional.

Ole Miss ends its season 43-21, the most wins for the program since winning 45 games in 2021, which was the year before the national championship season. In 2022, Ole Miss won 42 games.

In Monday's night's Regional finale, both teams went three up, three down in the first inning as starters Walker Hooks for the Rebels and Isaac Silva for the Racers pitched well.

In the top of the second, Murray State struck for two runs. Three singles from the first three batters got things set up.

A Dan Tauken ground out to first got Dom Decker home. A Conner Cunningham single got Luke Mistone home. Down 2-0, the Rebels were three up, three down again in their half of the second.

In the top of the third, the Racers added three runs for a 5-0 lead. Decker singled to score Carson Garner who had doubled.

Mistone doubled to score Decker. Will Vierling singled to score Mistone. With one out in the top of the third and the score 5-0, Mason Morris came in and got the final two outs.

In the bottom of the third, Ole Miss finally got on the scoreboard. With one out Austin Fawley homered to center field. It was 5-1 Murray State.

After a scoreless top of the fourth, Judd Utermark homered after Furniss was hit by a pitch. That made it 5-3, and the Rebels had made a move.

But it didn't last long as Murray State answered with more. The Racers came through with four runs in the top of the fifth to lead 9-3. Will McCausland came in to replace Morris for the final out.

After Ole Miss didn't score in the bottom of the fifth, the Racers picked up a run. Decker singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. Mistone singled to score Decker to make it 10-3.

Riley Maddox entered the game in the sixth after a run scored. MSU added two more runs in the seventh for a 12-3 lead.

That's when the Rebels came roaring back. Humphrey led off the bottom of the seventh with a base hit. After an out, Hayden Federico was hit by a pitch. Fawley walked and the bases were loaded.

Randle walked to get a run home. Sanford walked to get another run home. It was 12-5. Hill then singled to score two runs. Furniss singled to score Sanford.

In the bottom of the eighth, Smithwick singled, and after an out Fawley walked. Randle then homered over the right center wall, and MSU led 12-11.

Hunter Elliott returned to the mound as a reliever for the first time since April 12, 2022, ironically against Murray State, an 8-2 Ole Miss win in Oxford.

Elliott got the Racers out three up, three down. And it was the Ole Miss offense who had to come through to extend the game or win it.

Three outs later, and no Rebel had reached. The game - and for Ole Miss the season - was in the books.

Racer reliever Nic Shutte (8-3) got the win. Rebel starter Hooks (1-2) got the loss. MSU closer Graham Kelham got his seventh save.