Mike Bianco ‘expects to be back’ in 2025 as Ole Miss sees season end in walk-off fashion

HOOVER, Ala. — Ole Miss was an out away from getting to unpack and stay a while at the Southeastern Conference Baseball Tournament but Liam Doyle’s pitch to Connor Hujsak was deposited into the left field bullpen for a two-run walk off home run, ending the season for the Rebels with a 2-1 loss.

Now the question that immediately followed was if Mike Bianco would be packing things up in his office back in Oxford. The answer is still not known as of Tuesday night.

Standing in left field after speaking with his team after a game for the last time this season Bianco was asked if he expects to be in a dugout wearing an Ole Miss uniform come next February.

“You’ll have to ask my boss that. But I expect to be back,” Bianco answered quickly and to the point.

Completing his 24th season at the helm of the Rebels baseball program, Bianco reached the milestone mark of 1,000 career wins but that pales in comparison to the lackluster results the team has put on the field since winning it all two Summers ago.

The Rebels finished the season at 27-29 overall and 11-20 in SEC play, including Tuesday’s loss, and lost the last six games of the year. Last season it was another sub .500 year at 25-29 and a historic 6-24 conference record.

Both seasons have worn on the fan base and players with the growing desire from the former to see change made at the top yesterday. Will that happen? There assuredly will be a decision made on Bianco’s future sooner than later.

For the game itself it was a night where Riley Maddox gave Ole Miss everything to keep his team alive.

Maddox went a career-high seven-plus innings and tied his career best in strikeouts at seven. The Rebels turned to their Friday starter in the opening game of what potentially could have been a six to five-game week if wins piled up.

But Tuesday’s was must-win so Maddox got the ball and delivered his best stuff as a Rebel, topping his best effort two weeks ago against Texas A&M.

“That’s what I know I’m capable of doing this year,” Maddox said. “I just needed to be more consistent with that all year. I’m glad I ended like that. It was good.”

Encouraging words for Maddox, personally, but still does not erase what happened in the bottom of the ninth.

Offense was once again at a premium for Ole Miss and struggled against Mississippi State starter Brooks Auger. The Rebels struck out 14 times but Will Furniss provided the one positive at-bat with a solo home run in the fifth inning that squeezed out of Hujsak’s glove at the center field wall when he attempted to make the catch.

Aside from the home run Furniss was among those that struggled against Auger, going 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.

“All of us that are coming back, we got to just work really, really hard this offseason,” Furniss said. “We’re all tired of not playing good, not doing good, not winning. We know it means a lot to the fans. Sometimes they may doubt it but it means a hell of a lot more to us.”

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