OXFORD, Miss. – With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth and the game tied at four, the Rebels found a little magic as Brett Basham hit a chop grounder to third and Michael Guerrero slid in safely at home on a fielding error by Florida catcher Buddy Munroe to give No. 8 Ole Miss (15-6, 3-1 SEC) a 5-4 win over Florida (15-4, 3-1 SEC).

Trailing 4-2 heading into the inning, the Rebels pushed across three runs without recording an out to claim the win in the first game of a three-game series.

Matt Smith led the Rebel offense, going 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBI. Cody Overbeck also notched a hit, carrying his hitting streak to 21 games and tying for the second longest hitting streak in school history.

Rory McKean (2-0) picked up the win as he entered the game in the ninth with Florida holding the two run lead. McKean retired the side as he coaxed the Gators into back-to-back groundouts and a strikeout before the Rebel rally in the bottom half of the frame.

Lance Lynn worked the first 8.0 innings, allowing four runs, two earned, on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. A fielding error and three of the Gators’ six hits came in a tough second inning before Lynn shut the Gators down the rest of the way, allowing only two base runners through the next six innings.

Clint Franklin (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season as he came entered the game in the ninth with a runner on and no outs. He allowed one run on two hits with a walk and no strikeouts.

“The key to the game tonight was really Lance Lynn,” said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. “There is probably not another pitcher in the country who could make it through the eighth inning after throwing 62 pitches through the first two innings. He got his control back and started to deal and gave us a chance to come back.”

Florida put four  runs across the board in the second inning as a single and fielding error allowed the first two runners to reach base. Lynn struck out the next batter, but Munroe singled to left an at bat later to push Jonathan Pigott across the plate and give the Gators the early lead. A walk then loaded the bases with one out before a single to right center from Matt den Dekker plated two more runs and gave the Gators a 3-0 lead. A ground out to second from Cole Figueroa plated another run before Lynn struck the final batter out looking to end the inning. Florida led 4-0 after one and a half played.

Ole Miss got on the board in the bottom of the third when Jordan Henry singled through the left side to drive in Tim Ferguson from second. Ferguson walked before moving to second when Brett Basham was hit by a pitch.

Matt Smith homered to open the seventh inning for the Rebels as he cut the lead to two runs at 4-2.

The Rebels rallied in the ninth as Logan Power scored on a single to center field from Matt Smith. Power doubled to open the inning. Florida went to its pen after the Smith single in favor of Clint Franklin. Michael Guerrero then doubled to left field and moved Smith to third. The Gators then intentionally walked Zach Miller to load the bases. Tim Ferguson then singled to left field, scoring Smith and tying the game at four while leaving the bases loaded.

Basham then came up with the ground ball to third that resulted in the fielding error at the plate as Munroe tried to tag out Guerrero who was sliding in to score. The run gave the Rebels the victory in the opening game of the series.

Ole Miss and Florida will continue the series at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.