Bissetta's Grand Slam Stuns No. 2 Texas in SEC Opener
AUSTIN, Texas – The opening night of Southeastern Conference baseball delivered a stunner. Trailing by three and down to the final out in the ninth inning, Ole Miss right fielder Tristan Bissetta launched a go-ahead grand slam, silencing the crowd at UFCU Disch-Falk Field and powering the Rebels to a dramatic 9-8 victory over No. 2 Texas in 11 innings.
The blast capped a wild comeback for Ole Miss (16-3, 1-0 SEC) and handed the Texas Longhorns (16-1, 0-1 SEC) their first loss of the season, snapping a 16-game winning streak. Before Bissetta's heroics, Texas had built a 7-3 lead, punctuated by a three-run home run from Anthony Pack Jr. in the eighth inning. The Longhorns even managed to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings, but the Rebels manufactured the winning run in the 11th to secure a landmark series-opening win.
The game, which marked the first SEC contest between the two programs, was a back-and-forth affair that showcased the intensity of conference play. The Rebels now look to carry that momentum into the rest of the weekend series, having already made a significant statement on the road against one of the nation's top-ranked teams.
QUICK HITS
- Arkansas Outlasts Oklahoma in SEC Tournament Thriller: In a tightly contested SEC Tournament quarterfinal, No. 17 Arkansas held off a resilient Oklahoma team for an 82-79 victory in Nashville. The game, which featured 16 lead changes, came down to the final possessions, ending the Sooners' six-game winning streak. Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr. delivered a monster performance with 37 points to lead the Razorbacks into the semifinals. Arkansas will face Ole Miss on Saturday.
- Auburn Pitching Shines in SEC Opener: No. 6 Auburn began conference play with a 2-0 road victory over Missouri, thanks to a dominant pitching performance. The game remained scoreless until the eighth inning when Auburn's Bub Terrell hit a two-run homer, which proved to be the decisive blow. The win for Auburn snapped a 13-game winning streak for Missouri.
- Sooners Rally to Top Aggies in Norman: In another conference opener, No. 9 Oklahoma erased a four-run deficit to defeat No. 22 Texas A&M 8-7. After the Aggies jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, the Sooners chipped away before back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning tied the game. A sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth provided the winning margin for Oklahoma.
- SEC Athletes Excel at NCAA Indoor Championships: Alabama's Doris Lemngole secured a national runner-up finish in the women's 5,000 meters at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, clocking a time of 15:03.42. Florida also had a strong showing on day one, with athletes Hilda Olemomoi and Judy Chepkoech finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, in the same event.
PORTAL WATCH
The SEC transfer portal was quiet over the last 12 hours, with no new entries or commitments from football or basketball players across the conference.
RECRUITING BUZZ
No new football or basketball commitments were announced across the Southeastern Conference in the past 12 hours as teams focus on postseason tournaments and the start of spring practices.
GAMES TO WATCH
SEC Men's Basketball Tournament - Semifinals (Nashville, TN)
- No. 4 Florida vs. No. 22 Vanderbilt - 12:00 PM CT (ESPN)
- No. 3 Arkansas vs. No. 15 Ole Miss - 2:30 PM CT (ESPN)
National Spotlight - Conference Championships
- Big 12: No. 5 Houston vs. No. 2 Arizona - 5:00 PM CT (ESPN)
- Big East: UConn vs. St. John's - 5:30 PM CT (FOX)
- ACC: No. 10 Virginia vs. No. 1 Duke - 7:30 PM CT (ESPN)