The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, February 20
Oxford, Miss.
4 PM
Ole Miss
vs
Missouri State
Baseball Hosts Missouri State for Week Two Series
2/19/2026 | Baseball
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss Baseball (5-0) looks to stay undefeated this weekend as they welcome Missouri State (3-1) to Swayze Field for a three-game series. First pitch on Friday is set for 4 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., and the finale on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
LEADING OFF
Game 1: LHP Hunter Elliott (1-0, 1.80 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Yusypchuk (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Game 2: RHP Cade Townsend (0-0, 1.93 ERA) vs. TBA
Game 3: LHP Wil Libbert (1-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. TBA
BROADCAST INFORMATION
All three games will be streamed live on SEC Network+ with Jake Hromada (PxP) and Matt McLaughlin (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: MISSOURI STATE
Joey Hawkins was named Missouri State's third-ever head coach ahead of the 2025 season. In his first year in Springfield, Hawkins led the Bears to a 30-25 record and a 17-8 mark in their final season in the MVC. Missouri State reached the conference title game, but fell to top-seeded Murray State, 10-5.
Now part of the CUSA, the Bears are off to a 3-1 start, which includes a series win over Louisiana and an 11-0 shutout against Oral Roberts. Missouri State was selected to finish sixth in the conference in the 2026 CUSA Preseason Poll.
Caden Bogenpohl and Gabe Roessler have been MSU's top hitters through four games this season, each averaging north of a .330 batting average. Bogenpohl has seven hits thus far, paired with a homer and six RBI. Roessler also has six RBI.
The duo are only surpassed by Taeg Follert, who has seven RBI in 21 plate appearances. Of the three top hitters, Bogenpohl is the only returner. Last season, Bogenpohl hit .296 while starting in 54 games for the Bears, mostly at center field. He earned All-MVC Second Team and was a member of the all-tournament team, en route to earning a CUSA Preseason All-Conference nod.
Two-way player Max Knight also earned a preseason all-conference accolade. He's knocked a home run so far this season at the plate while earning a win with four strikeouts on the mound.
Michael Yusypchuk has been the most productive pitcher for the Bears so far this season. In the season opener against Louisiana, Yusypchuk worked 6.0 innings, fanning four batters and allowed no runs in the victory. He was Missouri State's Friday night start for the majority of last season as he aims to improve in just his sophomore campaign in 2026.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW
Brett Moseley and Tate Sirmans each launched a home run for their first collegiate hit last weekend against Nevada. Moseley hit a pinch-hit, two-RBI home run in the eighth inning of game one and Sirmans hit a solo shot in the fourth inning of game two. It was also Sirmans' first career start.
Moseley and Sirmans join a decent sized list of Rebels who hit a home run for their first career hit. Will Furniss and Judd Utermark each hit a pinch-hit home run for their first hits in 2023 when they were freshmen. Austin Fawley also hit a home run for his first career hit as a redshirt freshman at Kentucky in 2024.
FRESH START
Tristan Bissetta has been on fire over his first five games as a Rebel. The senior transfer is hitting .529 (9-for-17) with three home runs, 12 RBI, and eight runs scored. He leads the team in slugging at a whopping 1.176 with five of his nine hits going for extra bases.
On Wednesday against Jackson State, Bissetta hit two home runs in the third inning, becoming the first Rebel to accomplish the feat in almost a decade. Nick Fortes was the last Rebel to hit two home runs in the same inning, doing so in 2017 against ULM.
He has already matched his 2025 home run total and is four RBI shy of his 2025 RBI total.
BIG GAME HUNTER
Hunter Elliott returns to the Ole Miss rotation as the most experienced pitcher on the staff. He turned in one of the best seasons in Rebel history last year, becoming just the fifth pitcher to record a 10-win, 100-strikeout season finishing with a 10-3 record and 102 punchouts. He also became just the fourth pitcher in program history to record 100+ strikeouts in two different seasons. His 2.94 ERA was the lowest by a Rebel starting pitcher since his freshman season when he finished with an ERA of 2.70.
Elliott is the only returning pitcher in the country to have earned 10+ wins and struck out 100+ hitters in 2025.
BRING THE BOOM
The Ole Miss offense set a new program record for home runs in a season in 2025, crushing 124 home runs. It was just the second time in program history that an Ole Miss team has cracked the 100-home run mark.
The Rebels finished fifth nationally in total home runs, ninth nationally in home runs per game (1.94), and 13th nationally in walks drawn (345). They were one of just four programs in the country to have two 20+ home run hitters and one of six programs to finish with 100+ home runs, 100+ doubles, and 100+ hit by pitches.
There are only 16 returning players who hit 20 or more home runs in 2025 and three of them will be in Ole Miss' Opening Day lineup: Judd Utermark, Austin Fawley, and Daniel Pacella.
BASH BROS
Judd Utermark and Austin Fawley both broke the 20-home run mark in 2025, becoming the first pair of Rebel teammates in program history to each hit 20+ home runs in a single season.
Utermark finished with 22 home runs, the second-most by a Rebel in a single season, just two shy of the program record of 24 set by Tim Elko in 2022.
The 2025 Rebels finished with three hitters with 15+ home runs for the first time in program history and six hitters with 10+ home runs, also for the first time in program history.
IMPROVEMENT ON THE MOUND
In the first season under pitching coach Joel Mangrum, the Ole Miss pitching staff finished sixth nationally in total strikeouts. They struck out 669 hitters, 127 more than their total from 2024, which was the largest increase in the country.
The staff also finished 12th nationally in strikeouts per nine innings, averaging 10.8 strikeouts per game.
D1BASEBALL PRESEASON PLAYER RANKINGS
Ole Miss was well represented in D1Baseball's annual Preseason Player Rankings, placing at least one player at almost every position. Hunter Elliott was the highest ranked Rebel coming in at No. 5 on the list of Starting Pitchers. Cade Townsend also made the list at No. 117.
Austin Fawley was ranked as the No. 8 Catcher, Judd Utermark was ranked as the No. 10 Third Baseman, Dom Decker was ranked the No. 26 Second Baseman, and Will Furniss was ranked the No. 30 First Baseman. Daniel Pacella came in at No. 59 on the list of Outfielders and Landon Koenig (#51) and Owen Kelly (#78) each made the list of Relief Pitchers.
PRESEASON AWARDS
Hunter Elliott has been one of the most decorated players heading into the 2026 season. He was named to the 2026 Golden Spikes Award Watch List and earned Preseason All-America honors from the NCBWA, Perfect Game, D1Baseball, The Diamond Report, and Just Baseball Media. He was also named to the Preseason All-SEC Team that is voted on by the league's head coaches.
Judd Utermark was named a Preseason All-American by the NCBWA and Will Furniss was named to the Preseason All-SEC Team at first base. Austin Fawley was one of 10 catchers in the country to make the 2026 Buster Posey Preseason Watch List.
NEW FACES IN THE DUGOUT
Ole Miss added 19 new faces to the roster for the 2026 season, 10 transfers and nine freshmen. With 21 overall letterwinners lost from the 2025 season, the newest Rebels will look to make an immediate impact on the field.
Daniel Pacella and Tristan Bissetta, both Division I transfers, will man the corner outfield positions in 2026. Pacella comes from Illinois State where he hit .310 with 48 home runs over 107 games for the Redbirds. He hit 20 home runs in 2025, the second-most in program history. Bissetta spent his first three seasons at Clemson, hitting .266 over 87 games. He hit .298 in 2024 before his 2025 season was cut short by an arm injury.
Dom Decker will be injected into the infield after having a breakout season with Murray State in 2025. He started in 60 games for the Racers, hitting .351 with an on-base percentage of .496 which was top 40 in the NCAA.
Wil Libbert opens the season as the third member of the weekend rotation after spending his two seasons at Missouri. He worked 53.2 innings over 11 starts in 2025, striking out 55 hitters and posting a record of 3-4.
STAY CONNECTED
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss baseball on X at @OleMissBSB, on Facebook at Facebook.com/OleMissBaseball, on Instagram at Instagram.com/officialolemissbsb and on TikTok at @olemissbsb. Also, follow head coach Mike Bianco on X at @CoachMikeBianco.
LEADING OFF
- Ole Miss comes into the weekend 5-0 after sweeping Nevada on Opening Weekend and defeating Arkansas State and Missouri State during the week.
- The Rebels outscored the Wolfpack 29-6, allowing just four earned runs last weekend.
- The Rebel pitching staff racked up 35 strikeouts against Nevada, their highest Opening Weekend total in a three-game series since 2023 against Delaware.
- The bullpen did not allow an earned run against Nevada with Taylor Rabe and Hudson Calhoun both turning in 3+ inning long relief appearances.
- Brett Moseley and Tate Sirmans each made their collegiate debuts last weekend. They both hit home runs for their first career hits, Moseley on Friday and Sirmans on Saturday.
- Over his first five games as a Rebel, Tristan Bissetta is hitting .529 (9-for-17) with three home runs and 12 RBI.
- Bissetta became the first Rebel since Nick Fortes in 2017 to hit two home runs in the same inning, hitting two bombs in a nine run third against Jackson State.
- Bissetta is tied with LSU's Jake Brown for the SEC lead in RBI with 12 in five games.
- Judd Utermark leads the SEC and is tied at the top of the NCAA in runs scored, crossing the plate 11 times in five games.
- The Rebel offense has hit at least one home run in their first five games for the first time since 2022. They have 10 home runs in five games.
- Ole Miss is 8-for-8 in stolen bases to begin the season. Five starters have stolen at least one base.
- Cannon Goldin, Kelven Perera, and Luke Romine all collected their first career hits on Wednesday against Jackson State. Goldin went 2-for-2 as a pinch hitter as the Rebels batted around in the sixth inning.
- 1,918 students attended last Friday's season opener, marking the largest Opening Day student crowd since 2022.
Game 1: LHP Hunter Elliott (1-0, 1.80 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Yusypchuk (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Game 2: RHP Cade Townsend (0-0, 1.93 ERA) vs. TBA
Game 3: LHP Wil Libbert (1-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. TBA
BROADCAST INFORMATION
All three games will be streamed live on SEC Network+ with Jake Hromada (PxP) and Matt McLaughlin (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: MISSOURI STATE
Joey Hawkins was named Missouri State's third-ever head coach ahead of the 2025 season. In his first year in Springfield, Hawkins led the Bears to a 30-25 record and a 17-8 mark in their final season in the MVC. Missouri State reached the conference title game, but fell to top-seeded Murray State, 10-5.
Now part of the CUSA, the Bears are off to a 3-1 start, which includes a series win over Louisiana and an 11-0 shutout against Oral Roberts. Missouri State was selected to finish sixth in the conference in the 2026 CUSA Preseason Poll.
Caden Bogenpohl and Gabe Roessler have been MSU's top hitters through four games this season, each averaging north of a .330 batting average. Bogenpohl has seven hits thus far, paired with a homer and six RBI. Roessler also has six RBI.
The duo are only surpassed by Taeg Follert, who has seven RBI in 21 plate appearances. Of the three top hitters, Bogenpohl is the only returner. Last season, Bogenpohl hit .296 while starting in 54 games for the Bears, mostly at center field. He earned All-MVC Second Team and was a member of the all-tournament team, en route to earning a CUSA Preseason All-Conference nod.
Two-way player Max Knight also earned a preseason all-conference accolade. He's knocked a home run so far this season at the plate while earning a win with four strikeouts on the mound.
Michael Yusypchuk has been the most productive pitcher for the Bears so far this season. In the season opener against Louisiana, Yusypchuk worked 6.0 innings, fanning four batters and allowed no runs in the victory. He was Missouri State's Friday night start for the majority of last season as he aims to improve in just his sophomore campaign in 2026.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW
Brett Moseley and Tate Sirmans each launched a home run for their first collegiate hit last weekend against Nevada. Moseley hit a pinch-hit, two-RBI home run in the eighth inning of game one and Sirmans hit a solo shot in the fourth inning of game two. It was also Sirmans' first career start.
Moseley and Sirmans join a decent sized list of Rebels who hit a home run for their first career hit. Will Furniss and Judd Utermark each hit a pinch-hit home run for their first hits in 2023 when they were freshmen. Austin Fawley also hit a home run for his first career hit as a redshirt freshman at Kentucky in 2024.
FRESH START
Tristan Bissetta has been on fire over his first five games as a Rebel. The senior transfer is hitting .529 (9-for-17) with three home runs, 12 RBI, and eight runs scored. He leads the team in slugging at a whopping 1.176 with five of his nine hits going for extra bases.
On Wednesday against Jackson State, Bissetta hit two home runs in the third inning, becoming the first Rebel to accomplish the feat in almost a decade. Nick Fortes was the last Rebel to hit two home runs in the same inning, doing so in 2017 against ULM.
He has already matched his 2025 home run total and is four RBI shy of his 2025 RBI total.
BIG GAME HUNTER
Hunter Elliott returns to the Ole Miss rotation as the most experienced pitcher on the staff. He turned in one of the best seasons in Rebel history last year, becoming just the fifth pitcher to record a 10-win, 100-strikeout season finishing with a 10-3 record and 102 punchouts. He also became just the fourth pitcher in program history to record 100+ strikeouts in two different seasons. His 2.94 ERA was the lowest by a Rebel starting pitcher since his freshman season when he finished with an ERA of 2.70.
Elliott is the only returning pitcher in the country to have earned 10+ wins and struck out 100+ hitters in 2025.
BRING THE BOOM
The Ole Miss offense set a new program record for home runs in a season in 2025, crushing 124 home runs. It was just the second time in program history that an Ole Miss team has cracked the 100-home run mark.
The Rebels finished fifth nationally in total home runs, ninth nationally in home runs per game (1.94), and 13th nationally in walks drawn (345). They were one of just four programs in the country to have two 20+ home run hitters and one of six programs to finish with 100+ home runs, 100+ doubles, and 100+ hit by pitches.
There are only 16 returning players who hit 20 or more home runs in 2025 and three of them will be in Ole Miss' Opening Day lineup: Judd Utermark, Austin Fawley, and Daniel Pacella.
BASH BROS
Judd Utermark and Austin Fawley both broke the 20-home run mark in 2025, becoming the first pair of Rebel teammates in program history to each hit 20+ home runs in a single season.
Utermark finished with 22 home runs, the second-most by a Rebel in a single season, just two shy of the program record of 24 set by Tim Elko in 2022.
The 2025 Rebels finished with three hitters with 15+ home runs for the first time in program history and six hitters with 10+ home runs, also for the first time in program history.
IMPROVEMENT ON THE MOUND
In the first season under pitching coach Joel Mangrum, the Ole Miss pitching staff finished sixth nationally in total strikeouts. They struck out 669 hitters, 127 more than their total from 2024, which was the largest increase in the country.
The staff also finished 12th nationally in strikeouts per nine innings, averaging 10.8 strikeouts per game.
D1BASEBALL PRESEASON PLAYER RANKINGS
Ole Miss was well represented in D1Baseball's annual Preseason Player Rankings, placing at least one player at almost every position. Hunter Elliott was the highest ranked Rebel coming in at No. 5 on the list of Starting Pitchers. Cade Townsend also made the list at No. 117.
Austin Fawley was ranked as the No. 8 Catcher, Judd Utermark was ranked as the No. 10 Third Baseman, Dom Decker was ranked the No. 26 Second Baseman, and Will Furniss was ranked the No. 30 First Baseman. Daniel Pacella came in at No. 59 on the list of Outfielders and Landon Koenig (#51) and Owen Kelly (#78) each made the list of Relief Pitchers.
PRESEASON AWARDS
Hunter Elliott has been one of the most decorated players heading into the 2026 season. He was named to the 2026 Golden Spikes Award Watch List and earned Preseason All-America honors from the NCBWA, Perfect Game, D1Baseball, The Diamond Report, and Just Baseball Media. He was also named to the Preseason All-SEC Team that is voted on by the league's head coaches.
Judd Utermark was named a Preseason All-American by the NCBWA and Will Furniss was named to the Preseason All-SEC Team at first base. Austin Fawley was one of 10 catchers in the country to make the 2026 Buster Posey Preseason Watch List.
NEW FACES IN THE DUGOUT
Ole Miss added 19 new faces to the roster for the 2026 season, 10 transfers and nine freshmen. With 21 overall letterwinners lost from the 2025 season, the newest Rebels will look to make an immediate impact on the field.
Daniel Pacella and Tristan Bissetta, both Division I transfers, will man the corner outfield positions in 2026. Pacella comes from Illinois State where he hit .310 with 48 home runs over 107 games for the Redbirds. He hit 20 home runs in 2025, the second-most in program history. Bissetta spent his first three seasons at Clemson, hitting .266 over 87 games. He hit .298 in 2024 before his 2025 season was cut short by an arm injury.
Dom Decker will be injected into the infield after having a breakout season with Murray State in 2025. He started in 60 games for the Racers, hitting .351 with an on-base percentage of .496 which was top 40 in the NCAA.
Wil Libbert opens the season as the third member of the weekend rotation after spending his two seasons at Missouri. He worked 53.2 innings over 11 starts in 2025, striking out 55 hitters and posting a record of 3-4.
STAY CONNECTED
Get rewarded for attending events by joining Rebel Rewards powered by Coca-Cola, the official fan loyalty program of the Ole Miss Rebels. Download the Ole Miss Sports mobile app, sign up for a Rebel Rewards account, and start earning points immediately that can be redeemed for exclusive prizes and experiences.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss baseball on X at @OleMissBSB, on Facebook at Facebook.com/OleMissBaseball, on Instagram at Instagram.com/officialolemissbsb and on TikTok at @olemissbsb. Also, follow head coach Mike Bianco on X at @CoachMikeBianco.
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/ BaseballHIGHLIGHTS: Baseball vs. Missouri State (2/20/26)
Friday, February 20
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Wednesday, February 18
PRESSER: Mike Bianco (Arkansas State Post-Game)
Tuesday, February 17
PRESSER: JP Robertson (Arkansas State Post-Game)
Tuesday, February 17