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Ole Miss

Riley Maddox and the offense leads No. 6 Ole Miss to a series-tying win over No. 5 Tennessee

11by: Jake Thompson04/13/25JakeThompsonOn3
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Ole Miss outfielder Isaac Humphrey. Mandatory credit: Ole Miss athletics

Riley Maddox went through some tough days, including what he describes as “mental health” struggles. Prior to last week’s start at Kentucky he had talked with Ole Miss pitching coach Joel Mangrum.

Whatever Maddox was dealing with it seems the talk helped as he has allowed two earned runs over his last 10 innings of work. This includes No. 6 Ole Miss’ 8-5 win over No. 5 Tennessee on Saturday to tie up the all-important midseason Southeastern Conference series.

After allowing a solo home run in each of the first two innings Maddox settled down to pitch three consecutive shutout innings, keeping the Volunteers offense in check. He finished with five strikeouts and a walk.

“I just had to work around (the home runs), just executing some pitches,” Maddox said. “I think that’s kind of what I’ve been doing the past two weeks I didn’t do the few weeks before that. Making a little better pitch here and there and trying to get off the field.

“I was just in a bad spot, mentally, with my mental health. I was fighting that and a lot of different things. I guess to dumb it down I was just trying to execute.”

In relief Ole Miss (27-8, 9-5 SEC) got strong outings from Will McCausland and closer Connor Spencer. After Ryne Rodriguez gave up a two-run home run to the following batter after hitting Tennessee’s Andrew Fischer it was McCausland that came in and then worked two innings, giving up only one run.

The biggest moment came when McCausland had the bases loaded with zero outs in the seventh but Tennessee hit into a double play that scored the run and then a fielder’s choice that ended the inning, limiting the damage.

Spencer then worked the final 1.1 innings, pitching a shutout to earn his third save of the season. Maddox improved to 4-2 on the year.

“(Maddox has) hung in there. That’s the thing that I love and today you could see the veteran in him,” Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said. “Even though he gave up a couple runs early you got to hang in there in this league and he did that today.”

After being shutdown by a returning Liam Doyle on Friday the Rebels found early success against Tennessee starter Marcus Phillips.

With three runs in the first inning Ole Miss followed it up with at least a run in five of the first six innings, proving to be enough. More importantly the Rebels were able to respond every time the Volunteers (30-5, 10-4) put up a number in the top of the inning.

That happened in the first, second and sixth inning. The only time Ole Miss did not respond was the run Tennessee scratched across in the seventh.

Infielder Luke Hill and catcher Austin Fawley hit home runs to help notch the series up at a win apiece.

“We just never give in,” Hill said. “They have a ton of good arms and a very talented program and everyone sees it. They’re one of the best teams in the country. So, if you let them just walk all over you and just score a couple runs just here and there and you just get flat-footed that’s when games get out of hand. You can’t let that happen. We just had to make sure foot on the pedal at all times and just got to keep going.”

Sunday’s rubber match is set for a 2 p.m. CT first pitch. The game is scheduled to air on SEC Network.

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