OXFORD, Miss. – The Rebels tied a season-high with 21 hits as No. 21 Ole Miss (26-15) got the offense goin and used two big innings to claim a 15-5 win over Murray State (14-21) on Tuesday at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.

Fuller Smith hit his fourth home run of the season and was 4-for-5 on the night with two runs scored and two RBI to lead the offense. He was one of six Rebels to notch multiple hits in the outing, including three hits each from Logan Power, Matt Smith and Zach Miller.

Nathan Baker (2-4) picked up the win as he worked 6.0 innings and struck out a career-high 11 batters. Baker allowed four runs – two earned – on two hits and walked three batters in the outing. Baker struck out six of the first seven batters faced to open the game. Rory McKean and Matt Tracy pitched the final 3.0 innings, holding the Thoroughbreds to one run the rest of the way.

Matt McGaha (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season as the Rebels got to him early. McGaha gave up nine runs on 13 hits, including five runs in the first inning, as he walked one and struck out one in 5.1 innings of work.

“Nathan Baker did terrific tonight,” said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. “I thought he pitched well. It’s the best I’ve seen him pitch since he got here. His slider looked good and he had the ability to miss a lot of bats and struck out a lot of people.”

Ole Miss struck early, pushing across five runs as the first seven batters of the game reached base safely to open the game and set the tone for the night. Murray State then turned a double play and got the third out on a grounder to second to end the inning with the Rebels leading 5-0.

Murray State scored in the third when Daniel Miller scored from second on a fielding error at short. Miller walked before moving to second on a walk of Elliot Frey.

The Rebels got the run back in the bottom half of the inning as Matt Smith scored on a fielding error in right field on a sac fly from Kyle Mills. Matt Smith singled to open the inning and stole second before moving to third on a groundout to second from Miller. He then scored on the fly to right from Mills to give Ole Miss the 6-1 lead.

The Thoroughbreds mounted a rally in the fourth, loading the bases with no outs on a fielding error, a single through the right side and a walk. A groundout to first pushed one run across and left two in scoring position. Miller then singled up the middle, driving in both runs and cutting the lead to 6-4 in favor of the Rebels.  Baker then coaxed a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning.

Ole Miss broke things open in the sixth inning, using nine hits – including a Fuller Smith home run – to push nine runs across the plate and give the Rebels a 15-4 lead.

Murray State was not done, however, as the Thoroughbreds pushed another run across the board in the eighth.

Matt Tracy held the Thoroghbreds off the board in the top ninth to close out the game and secure the victory for the Rebels.

Ole Miss will return to action on Wednesday, April 23, when the Rebels travel to take on Arkansas State at 6:30 p.m.