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Ole Miss

Offense unable to support Hunter Elliott as No. 23 Ole Miss drops series opener at No. 21 Oklahoma

11by: Jake Thompson05/03/25JakeThompsonOn3
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Ole Miss pitcher Hunter Elliott. Mandatory credit: Ole Miss athletics

With three weekends remaining in the regular season No. 23 Ole Miss was in a need for Hunter Elliott to try and go deeper into his outings and for the offense to back him up, something that has not been in sync most Fridays in Southeastern Conference play.

That did not change in Norman, at least with the offense. Elliott, on the other hand, worked into the seventh inning for his longest outing of the season though it did not matter. The offense once again put up a zero in SEC play, losing to No. 21 Oklahoma 2-0 in the series opener.

The Ole Miss ace found himself in a pitcher’s duel with Sooners ace Kyson Witherspoon. Unfortunately for the Rebels it was Elliott that blinked first.

Elliott pitched 6.2 innings allowing two runs, both earned, off three hits and four walks. He also struck out seven batters. Two of those walks occurred in the fifth inning, leading to the pair of runs that was enough for Oklahoma (31-13, 12-10 SEC) to secure the win.

After the hiccup in the fifth inning Elliott went on to strike out four straight between the sixth and seventh innings to keep the deficit at two runs for Ole Miss (32-14, 12-10).

“I thought I was good for most of the night,” Elliott said. “I think I had a little bit of a lack of focus there in the middle innings and I can’t do that when you’re facing a guy like (Witherspoon). I got to clean that up and I’ll be better next week.”

Elliott did all he was asked of, despite the fifth inning hiccup, but his offense did not provide the run support to overcome it.

Witherspoon worked seven innings and recorded eight strikeouts, allowing one hit and walking three others. The Rebels managed two hits the entire game — an Austin Fawley single in the second inning and a Luke Hill single in the eighth.

Ole Miss stranded seven runners, extending its scoreless streak in SEC play to 18 innings.

“He’s a good pitcher. Has plus stuff and can locate in any situation,” Hill said. “It’s just one of those where if you’re off your game, he’s going to capitalize and hats off to him. Just got to show up tomorrow ready to go.”

The Rebels will look to even the series in game two. First pitch set for 4 p.m. CT on Saturday and the game will air on SEC Network+.

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