Rebels Shock Aggies in Crucial Weekend Series: Three Takeaways

The Ole Miss Rebels picked up their first series win over the Texas A&M Aggies since 2019 to keep NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

Ole Miss Rebels centerfielder Ethan Groff / Ole Miss Athletics

After a disastrous loss to Murray State during the midweek, the Ole Miss Rebels' season looked to be hanging on by a thread. A series win against Texas A&M looked to be the only way to keep the postseason hopes alive, and the Rebels got it done.

Here are three takeaways from the series win over the Aggies this past weekend.

Riley Maddox Deals

Riley Maddox looked locked in after giving up a couple of runs early on Friday. Maddox had one of his best outings of the season, locating and using his sinker very effectively.

He collected seven strikeouts over his six innings pitched, giving up only two earned runs. This seemed like a different Riley Maddox in that he didn't have that blow-up inning that usually gets him into trouble. He gave the Rebs a shot and competed against one of the most dangerous lineups in college baseball.

Texas A&M is a legit national championship contender, and holding its lineup at bay is a good sign for the Rebels, if their postseason dreams come to fruition.

Cap Back in the Lineup

After Brayden Randle seemed to have forced his way into the lineup early in the season, coach Mike Bianco had a hunch this past weekend.

Reagan Burford was back in the lineup and seemed hungry to make a difference, and he did just that with a double in Game 1 and a big fly in Game 2 to get the scoring started. He also picked up another RBI on a sac fly in the game on Saturday.

Burford looked comfortable in the box, and with Luke Hill back at short, this could give you a veteran presence on the in field. Look for Bianco to keep feeding the hot hand, which Burford is at the moment.

Season Hanging in the Balance

The Rebels have another huge challenge in front of them as they head to Baton Rouge for a showdown with rival LSU this weekend.

The Tigers have certainly had a disappointing season as they are also fighting for their postseason lives. Alex Box Stadium has been a difficult place to play, however, as the Aggies dropped the series on the Bayou before heading to Oxford.

The Rebels (11-16) sit one spot ahead of the Tigers (10-17) in the SEC, but at this point it, isn't about standings, but more about stacking wins. A series win this weekend and a maybe one win in Hoover could be just enough to get into the tournament after collecting two more quad-one wins this past weekend. The Rebels also have a top-three strength of schedule, which should bode well on Selection Sunday.

Before this weekend, the Rebels take on Southern Miss in Hattiesburg on Tuesday, as they will just need to win once again. Another midweek loss could be detrimental to not just the resume, but the team's mental makeup before what will be the biggest series of the year.