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Ole Miss is headed to the SEC Championship game for the first time since 2019 after blanking LSU 2-0 in Saturday’s semifinal showdown at the SEC Tournament. The No. 7 seed Rebels, now 40-18 on the season, rode a dominant four-man pitching performance to shut down the No. 3 seed Tigers and punch their ticket to Sunday’s title matchup against No. 4 Vanderbilt.
Freshman right-hander Cade Townsend set the tone for Ole Miss, delivering the best outing of his young career. Typically a midweek arm, Townsend silenced one of the nation’s most explosive lineups with 4.2 shutout innings, allowing just two hits and striking out three. Despite a season marked by inconsistency and a 6.67 ERA entering the game, Townsend looked composed in the biggest moment of his college career.
OLE MISS SHUTS OUT LSU 🚨 @OleMissBSB advances to the SEC tournament championship game for the first time since 2019. pic.twitter.com/H1pCQSQa3U
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) May 24, 2025
“He’s pitched well, but usually it’s an inning that gets him,” head coach Mike Bianco said. “It’s not that he can’t handle the moment. It’s not that he’s not good enough to do this at its highest level… and he did that a couple times today in a big environment.”
Gunnar Dennis (4-1) relieved Townsend and earned the win after tossing 2.1 hitless innings. Will McCausland bridged the gap to closer Connor Spencer, who delivered his third straight scoreless ninth inning to record his seventh save of the season. The Rebels’ pitching staff has now allowed just three runs total over their last three games in Hoover.
Ole Miss punches their ticket to the SEC Championship game
Ole Miss gave its pitchers a lead early. First baseman Will Furniss opened the scoring with his 10th home run of the season in the top of the first inning. Designated hitter Campbell Smithwick added an RBI single in the fourth to double the lead, giving the Rebels all the offense they would need.
LSU, now 43-14, struggled to get anything going offensively. Despite strong efforts from their pitching staff—Jaden Noot, Chase Shores, and Jacob Mayers held Ole Miss to just three hits—two early runs proved too much to overcome. Noot (2-1) was tagged with the loss despite a career-high seven strikeouts over four innings.
After the game, LSU head coach Jay Johnson acknowledged his team’s struggles but expressed confidence heading into NCAA Tournament play next weekend.
“Great job by Ole Miss,” Johnson said. “They’ve obviously pitched very well here. We’re excited about getting home, getting some rest, and getting to work for regionals.”
For Ole Miss, the win not only marked a milestone return to the SEC title game, but also continued a postseason run defined by elite pitching and timely hitting. Spencer, who’s now closed out wins over Florida, Arkansas, and LSU in Hoover, has become a rock at the back end of the bullpen.
“When ‘Enter Sandman’ starts playing, you know the other team’s in trouble,” Furniss said of Spencer’s late-inning presence.
The Rebels will face Vanderbilt at noon CT Sunday with the SEC title on the line, riding a wave of momentum—and a shutdown pitching staff—into their biggest game of the year.
