Tigers Host No. 18 Rebels in Midweek Showdown

Tuesday, March 24

Memphis, Tenn.

6:05 p.m.

University of Memphis

Ole Miss

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Mar 23, 2026 | Baseball

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis (6-16) baseball team will play host to No. 18 Ole Miss (19-6) for a midweek game Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

Ole Miss holds a 68-41 advantage in the all-time series over Memphis, and Tuesday's matchup will mark the 110th meeting between the two programs. The teams last met just three weeks ago, when the Tigers dropped a 7-1 decision in Oxford on March 3. Memphis last hosted the Rebels on April 8 of last season, falling 10-0 to then-No. 6 Ole Miss. The Tigers' most recent win in the series came in 2024, when Memphis earned a 9-4 victory in front of the fourth-largest crowd in FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field history.

Memphis (6-16) enters the weekend after dropping two of three games at Tulane in New Orleans. The Tigers took the opener behind a 10-hit performance and timely pitching that held off a late Green Wave rally for a one-run win, but Tulane evened the series in game two with a pair of big innings despite another 10-hit showing from Memphis. In the rubber match, the Tigers tallied seven hits but couldn't overcome a six-run eighth inning from the Green Wave, which secured the series victory.

Trae Cassidy turned in a strong weekend at the plate, leading Memphis with a .429 batting average after going 6-for-14 across the three-game series. The catcher also drove in three runs and recorded a hit in each game, consistently providing production in the Tigers' lineup. Behind the plate, Cassidy was just as impactful, totaling 20 putouts and four assists while throwing out one runner and helping manage the pitching staff throughout the weekend.

The Tigers have been aggressive on the basepaths this season, swiping 47 bases to rank second in the American Conference and 41st nationally. Senior Freddy Rodriguez has paced Memphis, going 14-for-16 on stolen-base attempts, a total that ranks second in the conference and 36th in the nation.

Eleven different Tigers have gone deep this season, combining for 27 home runs as a team. Senior outfielders Michael Gupton and James Smith IV lead the way with six each, a total that ranks fifth in the conference.

Offensively, Memphis has been paced by Shane Cox, who leads the team in batting average (.322), hits (31) and extra-base hits (12). He has been a steady presence at the plate, recording at least one hit in 19 of the Tigers' 22 games this season.

Ole Miss (19-6) enters Tuesday riding a 2-1 series win over No. 15 Kentucky in Oxford last weekend. The Rebels took game one in shutout fashion by a score of 5-0. Kentucky evened the series on Thursday, winning 3-1. In the rubber match, Ole Miss won an offensive battle 12-9 to claim the series over the ranked Wildcats.

On the mound, Memphis will call on LHP Logan Rushing (0-1, 7.71 ERA) to make his first start of the season. Rushing, a graduate student from Brighton, Tennessee, pitched two innings and allowed one run in the Tigers 2024 victory over Ole Miss. The Rebels will start RHP Owen Kelly (1-0, 3.68 ERA) who pitched four innings, allowed one run on three hits and struck out five in his start against Memphis three weeks ago.

At the plate, Ole Miss has been led by Tristan Bissetta (38 H / 14 HR / 38 RBI), Judd Utermark (29 H / 10 HR / 26 RBI) and Collin Reuter (26 H / 10 2B / 22 RBI). As a team, the Rebels rank 7^th in the nation in home runs with 46 this season.

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