Preview and Predictions: Ole Miss Baseball vs. Kentucky Wildcats in SEC Showdown

Originally posted on Ole Miss Rebels on SI | By Zack Nagy | Last updated Mar 19, 2026 10:35 AM ET

OXFORD, Miss. –Ole Miss Baseball (17-5, 1-2 SEC) hosts No. 15 Kentucky (18-2, 3-0 SEC) this weekend for their first home SEC series of the season.

The series begins on Thursday with first pitch set for 7 p.m. on SEC Network. Friday's first pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. and Saturday will begin at 1:30 p.m.

PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1: LHP Hunter Elliott (2-0, 4.38 ERA) vs. LHP Ben Cleaver (1-0, 1.84 ERA)
Game 2: TBA vs. RHP Jaxon Jelkin (4-0, 3.38 ERA)
Game 3: LHP Wil Libbert (2-2, 5.96 ERA) vs. RHP Nate Harris (3-1, 4.03 ERA)

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Thursday's game will be broadcast live on SEC Network with Clay Matvick (PxP) and Lance Cormier (analyst) on the call. Friday and Saturday's games will be streamed on SEC Network+ with Richard Cross (PxP) and Keith Kessinger (analyst) on the call.

Fans can listen to all Ole Miss Baseball games, home and away, on the Ole Miss Radio Network with David Kellum (PxP) and Brad Henderson (analyst) on the call.

SCOUTING REPORT
Head baseball coach Nick Mingione is in his 10th year guiding Kentucky's program. He's one of the most successful coaches in program history, twice earning National Coach of the Year honors from Perfect Game and the NCBWA, most recently in 2024. The Wildcats took a slight step back last season but still finished above .500 and reached the NCAA Clemson Regional.

Kentucky appears to be back on track in 2026, starting 18-2 through 20 games, including a three-game sweep of Alabama to open conference action last weekend. The Wildcats have a potent offense, scoring at least 10 runs in nine of their games so far this season. They excel in baserunning, ranking fourth in the country and second in the SEC with 64 stolen bases to this point of the season.

Junior outfielder Jayce Tharnish leads the team in stolen bases and hits, recording 14 and 31, respectively. However, Ethan Hindle is Kentucky's most dangerous batter with 17 extra base hits this season, including nine doubles and six homers. He's driven home a team-leading 25 runs and is slugging at .716 percent.

Kentucky could be without preseason All-American Tyler Bell, who has been dealing with shoulder soreness and has participated in only six games this season. He was in the lineup for Kentucky's last game on Sunday against Alabama.

Kentucky's weekend rotation have consisted of Jaxon Jelkin, Ben Cleaver and Nate Harris. Jelkin is undefeated for the year with four wins and 26.2 innings worked. He's struck out 31 batters. Harris has been productive as just a sophomore, giving up no home runs to the 92 batters he's faced. Cleaver has been solid, holding a 1.55 ERA, but has seen limited action in his starts. He's recording more than a strikeout per inning though, with 200 K's over 14.2 innings worked.

This article first appeared on Ole Miss Rebels on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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