OXFORD, Miss. – Jeremy Travis hit a three-run home run to jump start the Rebel offense in the fifth inning as No. 23 Ole Miss (17-11) roared back from an early deficit on the way to a 5-4 win over Memphis (11-16) on Wednesday night at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.

The home run was the first for Travis, while Michael Guerrero added a second home run to push the Rebels to the win as Ole Miss put up a four-run fifth inning on the way to the win.

Rory McKean (3-0) picked up the win for the Rebels as he entered in the fifth inning and worked 2.0 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit with no walks and a strikeout. Justin Cryer picked up his second save of the season as he closed out the ninth.

Nathan Baker helped hold the Tigers at bay, coming into the game with one on and one out in the first, working 4.2 scoreless innings with a walk and two strikeouts while allowing five hits.

Philip Utley (1-1) took the loss for the Tigers as he worked 0.1 innings and gave up one run on two hits with a strikeout in the sixth inning.

“I thought it was big that Nathan Baker got the first batter to hit into a double-play and pitched well the next four innings,” said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. “We also played some really good defense. Rory McKean went out there and ate up outs and Scott (Bittle) and Justin (Cryer) were dominant.”

Memphis struck first as the Tigers scored in the opening frame as a walk and three straight singles pushed two runs across the plate. A fly out and back-to-back singles later two more runs crossed the plate as the Tigers claimed an early 4-0 lead on the home team.

Ole Miss turned to its pen early, bringing in Baker who got the next batter to ground into a double play and get the Rebels out of the inning with no further damage.

The Rebels got back into things in the fifth inning when Jeremy Travis came up with a three-run home run to left field. Michael Guerrero and Zach Miller came up with back-to-back singles before Travis hit his home run. Brett Basham reached on a bunt single before moving to second on a balk. He then scored on a single up the middle from Logan Power as Ole Miss tied the game at four.

Memphis threatened in the sixth, putting a runner at third with one out, but the defense came through for the Rebels in a big way. Zach Miller made an acrobatic stop and throw to first that kept the runner at third. Matt Smith then snagged a hard grounder for the put out at first on the next play to get the Rebels out of the inning.

Michael Guerrero then opened the bottom half of the sixth with a solo home run to give the Rebels the first lead of the night.

Ole Miss will return to action on Friday when the Rebels open a three-game series with the Vanderbilt Commodores. First pitch for Friday night’s game is set for 6:30 p.m. at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.