Baseball

How to Watch Ole Miss Baseball vs. Missouri State Series Opener

Published

4 months ago

February 20, 2026

Ole Miss Rebels Austin Fawley waiting on a pitch against Nevada

Ole Miss returns to Swayze Field this weekend looking to keep its early momentum going, and Missouri State arrives as the next test.

The Bears are off to a solid 3-1 start and bring a lineup with a few hot bats and a young Friday starter who’s already shown he can handle quality competition.

Here’s everything to know about Friday’s series-opening game.

Game threads 🪡 pic.twitter.com/OCYKt075o5

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 20, 2026

The Opponent: Missouri State

Missouri State comes in at 3-1, a start highlighted by a series win over Louisiana and an 11-0 shutout of Oral Roberts. The Bears were picked sixth in the CUSA preseason poll, but the early returns suggest they may be better than that projection.

Offensively, the lineup has leaned on a trio of early producers. Caden Bogenpohl and Gabe Roessler have been the most consistent bats through the first four games, both sitting above the .330 mark. Bogenpohl has seven hits, a home run, and six RBI, while Roessler has matched him in run production. Taeg Follert actually leads the team with seven RBI in 21 plate appearances, giving the Bears a balanced top half of the order.

Of that group, Bogenpohl is the only returning starter. He hit .296 last season while starting 54 games and earned All‑MVC Second Team honors along with a spot on the league’s all‑tournament team. He entered 2026 as a preseason all‑conference pick in CUSA and looks the part early.

Two‑way player Max Knight is another name to know. He earned preseason all‑conference recognition as well and has already contributed on both sides: a home run at the plate and a win on the mound with four strikeouts.

On the pitching side, Michael Yusypchuk has been the most effective arm so far. He threw six scoreless innings with four strikeouts in the season‑opening win over Louisiana. Yusypchuk handled most of the Friday‑night duties last season as a freshman and appears poised to take another step forward in his sophomore year.

Weather Forecast

Portions of the Rebels’ last game Wednesday against Jackson State were played in a heavy mist that bordered on being rain. They may be playing in a similar environment Friday.

According to the National Weather Service, there’s “a 20 percent chance of showers after 5pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 67. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.” That forecast doesn’t change much a night with “A 50 percent chance of showers between 9pm and 5am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph after midnight. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.”