Baseball

How to Watch: Ole Miss at No. 21 Florida SEC Baseball Series Opener

Published

2 months ago

April 2, 2026

Taylor Hodges

Ole Miss outfielder Tristan Bissetta reacts to hitting a home run against No. 15 Kentucky at Swayze Field. | Ole Miss Athletics

Ole Miss heads to Gainesville for a series that feels a little unpredictable.

Florida has looked dominant at times and vulnerable at others, already trading sweeps in SEC play.

The Gators bring a balanced lineup and strong pitching, but the Rebels have shown they can grind out wins. This one could come down to which version of Florida shows up and if the Rebels’ bats show up.

The Opponent: Florida

Florida has settled into another strong start, sitting at 23-7 overall and 6-3 in SEC play. The pattern has been pretty simple so far: either sweep or get swept.

The Gators opened league play by rolling through South Carolina with a 17-3 combined margin and a pair of shutouts. Alabama answered with a sweep of its own, but Florida bounced right back by taking all three from No. 4 Arkansas in Fayetteville.

At the plate, sophomore shortstop Brendan Lawson has been the steady force. He’s hitting .372 with 11 homers, and his .587 on-base percentage leads the SEC. Blake Cyr and Kyle Jones have been reliable pieces as well, each entering the weekend with more than 30 hits.

On the mound, Florida is expected to go with right-handers Liam Peterson, Aidan King and Russell Sandefer. King has been the most consistent of the group with a 1.97 ERA and only seven earned runs allowed.

Peterson has given up more damage, but he’s piled up 55 strikeouts in 120 at-bats. In the bullpen, Jackson Barberi has been one of the best relievers in the country. He’s pitched in four of Florida’s six shutouts and has struck out 37 hitters, the second-highest total on the staff.

How to Watch: Ole Miss at No. 21 Florida

Who: Ole Miss Rebels at No. 21 Florida Gators
When: 5:30 p.m., Thursday
Where: Condron Family Ballpark, Gainesville, Fla.
TV: SECN+
Radio: Live Radio
Stats: Live Stats
Series History: Florida leads the all-time series 57-55
Last Meeting: Ole Miss 3, Florida 1 (2025 SEC Tournament)
Last time out, Rebels: def. Little Rock, 7-4
Last time out, Gators: lost to Jacksonville, 4-3

Pitching Matchup

RHP Taylor Rabe vs. RHP Liam Peterson

Rabe: 3-1, 2.61 ERA, .87 WHIP, 2 SV, 20.2 IP, 15 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 26 SO, .200 Opp. BA
Peterson: 1-1, 3.67 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 34.1 IP, 22 H, 15 R, 14 ER, 22 BB, 55 SO, .183 Opp. BA