Ole Miss
LINCOLN, Neb. (05/29/2026) — The Ole Miss Rebels broke open a one-run game with a five-run surge across the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to defeat the Nebraska Cornhuskers 6-3 on Friday at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park, turning a tight pitcher's duel into a decisive road win.
How It Happened
Nebraska struck first in the fourth, when Jett Buck homered to right field to put the Cornhuskers ahead 1-0. The lone run held up only because Ole Miss starter Taylor Rabe kept the home lineup in check, but the Rebels answered emphatically in the sixth.
With two runners aboard, Owen Paino doubled to deep right center, scoring Will Furniss and Hayden Federico to flip the lead to 2-1. Brayden Randle followed with a single to right that brought Paino home, and Ole Miss carried a 3-1 advantage into the later innings.
The Rebels kept the pressure on in the seventh. Paino again came through, drawing a bases-loaded walk that scored Dom Decker, before Aidan Fawley walked to plate Jacob Utermark and push the margin to 5-1. The patient at-bats stacked runs without requiring a big swing.
Turning Point
The sixth-inning sequence was the hinge of the game. Paino's two-run double erased Nebraska's lead and the Rebels never trailed again — the box score reflects a single lead change and no ties the rest of the way. From the moment Furniss and Federico crossed the plate, Ole Miss controlled the tempo, building a 6-0 run that stretched from a 1-2 deficit to a 3-6 cushion.
Will Furniss extended the lead in the eighth, singling to left center to score Decker and reaching second on a throwing error. That run made it 6-1 and gave the Rebels a comfortable margin before Nebraska mounted its only late answer. Reed Strohmeyer homered to left in the bottom of the eighth, scoring Jeter Worthley to trim the deficit to 6-3, but the Cornhuskers got no closer.
Star of the Game
Owen Paino was the engine of the Ole Miss offense, reaching base three times and driving in three runs while scoring once. His 1-for-3 line undersells the impact: the two-run double that put the Rebels ahead and the bases-loaded walk that extended the lead both came in high-leverage spots, and he added two walks to anchor a disciplined approach at the plate.
On the mound, Taylor Rabe set the tone over six innings, allowing four hits and one run while striking out nine. JP Robertson followed with two innings, fanning four, and Hudson Calhoun closed out a scoreless inning. Around Paino, Dom Decker went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, Furniss collected three hits, and Federico reached three times in support.
For Nebraska, Buck and Strohmeyer supplied the power, each homering and combining for three of the Cornhuskers' runs. Starter Ty Horn was sharp early, striking out nine over 5.2 innings, and Jalen Worthley punched out three in a scoreless relief frame.
What It Means
The win underscored Ole Miss's ability to manufacture offense without relying on the long ball — the Rebels scored six runs on doubles, singles, walks and an error rather than home runs, a profile that travels well in postseason settings. Strong starting pitching from Rabe and a deep approach throughout the lineup gave Ole Miss the kind of complete performance that builds momentum in the 2026 season.
For Nebraska, the loss was a hard-fought one decided by a single multi-inning stretch. The Cornhuskers got quality early innings from Horn and timely power from Buck and Strohmeyer, but the middle innings slipped away as Ole Miss strung together rallies. Cleaner defense — the throwing error in the eighth extended a Rebels rally — and a few more answers after falling behind are the difference between a tough setback and a win in a game this competitive.
