Rebels run-rule No. 15 Clemson for good start to season in Texas

ARLINGTON, Texas — Ole Miss wrapped up a good weekend in Texas on Sunday afternoon with a 15-5 run-rule win over No. 15 Clemson, their second ranked win of the early season.

Luke Hill went 3-for-5 with two home runs, five RBI, and four runs scored in what was the first multi-home run game of his career. Hayden Federico also had three hits and scored three times in his collegiate debut. Collin Reuter went 2-for-3 in his Rebel debut.

Will McCausland earned his first win in a Rebel uniform, coming out of the bullpen in the first relief appearance of his career. He worked 3.2 innings, allowing just three hits and striking out eight batters.

The Rebel bats were hot from the jump, as Ole Miss put up three runs in the first inning followed by a four spot in the second.

Hayden Federico opened the game with his first collegiate hit in what was hit first collegiate at bat. After Hill drew a walk, Moerman hit a three-RBI home run into the seats in left field for his first in a Rebel uniform.

After a clean inning from Mason Nichols, the Rebels added four more runs in the top of the second on an RBI groundout from Federico, an RBI triple from Hill, and a massive two-RBI home run from Judd Utermark. Utermark’s long ball was probably the biggest of the weekend as it traveled 450 feet and ended up in the back row of the second deck in left field.

Ole Miss led 7-0 after two innings of play.

Clemson scratched across two runs in the third inning to cut the Ole Miss lead to five, but the Rebels immediately responded in the fourth behind a three-RBI home run from Hill. Luke Cheng drew a walk to start the inning, followed by Federico’s second single of the game. Hill then muscled one to the opposite field that just got over the right field wall to make it 10-2.

The Tigers scored two more runs with one out in the fourth inning when the Rebels made a call to the bullpen for Will McCausland. The transfer from Saint Joseph’s got out of the inning and would go on to retire the first seven batters he faced in what was his first appearance in an Ole Miss uniform and the first relief appearance of his career.

Hill hit his second home run of the day in the top of the sixth as he led off the inning with a 397-foot shot to left field, giving him one to each side.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, McCausland got into some trouble and gave up one run on back-to-back wild pitches but was able to limit the damage with his fifth strikeout of the day.

The Rebels scored four more runs in the top of the seventh inning, highlighted by Federico’s RBI double down the right field line, setting up the chance for a run-rule victory.

McCausland came back out for the seventh, striking out three more Tigers to lock down his first win as a Rebel and the second win of the weekend for Ole Miss.

The Rebels will open a long homestand on Tuesday against Arkansas State at Swayze Field.

Information from Ole Miss Sports is included in this story.