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WATCH: Maddox gives Ole Miss baseball much-needed quality start in doubleheader split

Ben Garrettby: Ben Garrett04/05/25SpiritBen
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Ole Miss RHP Riley Maddox (Photo credit: Ole Miss Baseball/X)

Riley Maddox got a much-needed quality start to preserve a doubleheader split for No. 9 Ole Miss baseball Friday at Kentucky.

The series opener was pushed a day due to inclement weather in the Lexington area. The Rebels dropped the opener, 5-4, but bounced back with a 3-1 win.

First pitch of the finale on Saturday has been moved up to 10 a.m. CT on ESPN+ due to the  threat of heavy rain. 

Maddox entered the weekend 3-2 on the season with a 7.27 ERA. He’d given up three runs or more and lasted no longer than 4.0 innings in each of his last three starts. 

The senior right-hander in Game 2 out-dueled Kentucky RHP Scott Rouse in a pitchers duel. Maddox went 5.0 complete innings and allowed no runs on four hits. He notched six strikeouts for the first time since opening weekend.

Saint Joseph’s transfer RHP Will McCausland covered three innings for his second win of the season.

He didn’t allow a hit and struck out five.

“McCausland was maybe as dominant as the Clemson Game 3 to open up the season,” Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said. 

McCausland earned his first win and struck out eight of 15 in a 15-5 win over then-No. 15 Clemson to cap a 2-1 run in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown.

Campbell Smithwick in the Friday nightcap hit a pinch-hit, two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to break a 1-1 tie. Ole Miss improved to 23-7 (7-4 SEC) on the season. Kentucky dropped to 18-10 (5-6).

“Just proud of those guys,” Bianco said of the Ole Miss pitching staff. “We needed that. It was one of those tough days offensively for us. Even though both games we out-hit them, the runs were scarce today for both teams. We needed a big pitching performance.”

The included highlights were provided by Ole Miss Athletics.

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