It appears Ole Miss’ most recent gamble has paid off.

Entering the weekend, the No. 22 Rebels (27-12, 9-8 SEC) made headlines after it was announced that starter R.J. Hively would be available out of the bullpen against Arkansas if needed.

After completing the rain-suspended 8-2 win in Game 1, the Rebels called upon the senior right-hander to close out Game 2.

Hively entered the game in the seventh with runners on first and second and one out. Hively induced a double play on his first pitch and went on to allow just one more baserunner en route to closing the 1-0 victory.

Starter Mike Mayers (4-2 overall) earned the win, allowing two walks and two hits while striking out four in 61⁄3 innings before giving way to Hively.

In turn, Hively walked just one batter and struck out the side in the ninth to earn his first save as a Rebel.

Third baseman Andrew Mistone led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and advanced to third on back-to-back sacrifice bunts before scoring on a single to left field by second baseman Alex Yarbrough.

Miss. St. 3, Tenn. 2

A wild baseball weekend on the Mississippi State campus ended on a wild pitch.

Matthew Britton sprinted home with the game-winning run on a wild pitch as the Bulldogs held off the Tennessee Volunteers in a 14-inning thriller, which put a cap on the baseball portion of Super Bulldog Weekend.

MSU completed its first three-game conference series sweep of the season before a cowbell-clanging crowd of 9,233 at Dudy Noble Field. The Bulldogs have taken three straight series from the Volunteers and have also won the last eight meetings.

The Bulldogs improved to 24-16 overall and 8-10 in league play, while the Volunteers feel to 22-18 and 7-11.

MSU pitching turned in a masterful performance the entire weekend. In 34 innings of work, the Bulldog hurlers allowed 20 hits and four earned runs for a 1.02 earned run average. Nine pitchers combined to strike out 27 batters and walk only eight.

USM 2, Memphis 0

Jake Drehoff and James McMahon combined to limit Memphis to just five hits as Southern Miss blanked the Tigers at Pete Taylor Park.

The Golden Eagles (22-16 overall, 6-5 in C-USA) won the series and will look for the sweep at 1 p.m. today.

Drehoff (6-1) did not allow a Tiger batter past second base until the seventh, when he left the contest with the bases loaded and one out. McMahon came in and struck out both pinch hitter T.J. Rich and Keaton Aldridge to end the threat.

Drehoff retired 10 in a row at one point and finished the game by hurling 61⁄3 innings and giving up five hits and two walks with three strikeouts to earn the victory and improve his record to a team-best 6-1.

McMahon retired all eight batters he faced and fanned four to earn his third save of the year.

The Golden Eagles scored both of their runs in the second. Travis Creel led of the frame with a single to centerfield. After a sacrifice and single by Joe Martin to put runners on at the corners, Creel scored on a wild pitch and Dillon Day knocked home Martin with an infield single.