The Recap: Ole Miss Baseball Advances in SEC Tournament, Defeats Arkansas 5-2

HOOVER, Ala. – No. 17 Ole Miss (39-18) advanced to the semifinals of the 2025 SEC Baseball Tournament Friday evening with a 5-2 win over No. 5 Arkansas (43-13).

The Rebels will play No. 1 LSU Saturday afternoon following the conclusion of the first semifinal game between Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

Riley Maddox continued his dominance at the Hoover Met, giving up just three hits and two runs over 5.2 innings while striking out seven batters.

Combined with his start last season against Mississippi State, he has now allowed just six hits and two runs over 12.2 innings while racking up 14 strikeouts.

Judd Utermark continued his torrid stretch, going 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI. He is now 17-for-29 (.586) over his last nine games with 15 RBI.

Austin Fawley hit a three-RBI home run in the first inning and drew two walks to finish 1-for-2 with three RBI and a run scored.

Mitchell Sanford also had a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Ole Miss wasted no time getting out in front Friday as six of the first seven hitters reached base.

Sanford opened the game with a walk and Luke Hill reached on a Razorback error that put Sanford at third. Back-to-back singles from Sanford and Ryan Moerman made it 2-0 Rebels.

After Collin Reuter reached on a fielder's choice, Fawley came to the plate and belted his team-leading 17th home run of the season over the bullpen in left field.

Ole Miss led 5-0 before Arkansas ever even came to the plate.

Arkansas scored one run in the first on an RBI groundout and another in the second on an inside the park home run.

Following the home run, Maddox retired 14 of the next 15 hitters he faced, striking out six along the way.

His night would come to an end as he issued a two-out walk on his 104th pitch of the day.

The Rebel bullpen put together another scoreless outing in Hoover as Will McCausland, Mason Morris, and Connor Spencer allowed just three baserunners over the final 3.1 innings of the win.

Spencer locked down his second save in as many games and now has six saves on the season.