Georgia
Ole Miss
OXFORD, Miss. (04/24/2026) — In a marathon contest defined by late-game heroics and resilient pitching, the Georgia Bulldogs outlasted the Ole Miss Rebels 9-7 in 14 innings on Friday night at Oxford-University Stadium.
Tre Phelps delivered the decisive blow, launching a solo home run in the top of the 14th inning to break a 7-7 stalemate that had held since the ninth. The Bulldogs added an insurance run for the final margin, securing a hard-fought series-opening victory on the road.
How It Happened
The game was a back-and-forth affair from the start. Ole Miss struck first in the second inning when Austin Fawley hit a two-run home run to left field. Georgia methodically chipped away, scoring on an RBI single from Daniel Jackson in the third and an RBI double in the fourth to tie the game.
Ole Miss first baseman Will Furniss answered immediately, putting the Rebels back on top 3-2 with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth. The lead was short-lived, as Georgia’s offense erupted for five runs in the top of the fifth. Rylan Lujo started the rally with a two-run homer, followed by a three-run blast from Brennan Hudson that staked the Bulldogs to a 7-3 advantage.
Refusing to fold, the Rebels mounted a comeback. Furniss drove in a run with a single in the bottom of the fifth, and Brayden Randle cut the deficit to 7-5 with a solo home run in the sixth. The game-tying moment came in the bottom of the ninth inning. With a runner on, Furniss crushed his second home run of the night, a two-run shot that knotted the score at 7-7 and sent the game into extra innings.
From there, both bullpens took over. A pitchers' duel unfolded through four scoreless extra frames. For Ole Miss, JP Robertson and Hudson Calhoun were exceptional, combining for 7.1 innings of relief while striking out 12 batters. Georgia's relief corps was equally dominant. Grant Edwards, Justin Byrd, and Paul Farley combined to throw 5.0 perfect innings to close the game, striking out seven batters and not allowing a single baserunner from the 10th inning onward.
Turning Point
After four tense, scoreless extra innings, the game turned decisively in the top of the 14th. Leading off the inning, Georgia's Tre Phelps connected on a 2-0 pitch and sent it over the left-field wall for a solo home run, giving the Bulldogs an 8-7 lead they would not relinquish. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded, Brennan Hudson worked a walk to force in Daniel Jackson, providing a crucial insurance run and setting the final 9-7 score.
Star of the Game
While Tre Phelps hit the game-winner, Will Furniss was spectacular in a losing effort for Ole Miss. The first baseman went 3-for-5 with two home runs, four RBI, and a walk. His two-run homer in the ninth inning single-handedly forced extra innings and capped a monumental offensive performance.
For the victorious Bulldogs, Brennan Hudson drove in a team-high four runs, including a pivotal three-run homer in the fifth and the game-sealing RBI walk in the 14th. The Georgia bullpen also deserves high praise, particularly Paul Farley, who earned the win by retiring all seven batters he faced, striking out four in 2.1 dominant innings of work.
What It Means
For Georgia, this is a significant road victory that demonstrates the team's resilience and bullpen depth. Winning a 14-inning contest shows mental toughness and provides momentum heading into the rest of the crucial SEC series. The Bulldogs' ability to get a clutch hit from Phelps after a long offensive drought, combined with the lockdown performance from their relievers, is a formula for success in the conference.
For Ole Miss, it's a difficult outcome after a dramatic ninth-inning comeback. The Rebels received a heroic performance from Furniss and strong relief pitching but couldn't find the winning run in extras. The loss stings, but their ability to battle back from a four-run deficit showcases an offense that can strike at any moment as they look to even the series.