OXFORD | When Jack Dougherty took the mound at Plainsman Park for the sixth inning on Saturday, he crossed a threshold that’s been difficult for the Rebels this season.

Starting pitching on the weekend hasn’t thrown No. 1 Ole Miss out of games often the season, instead dodging big numbers but typically getting sliced and diced for enough to end outings prior to what’s expected.

Going into Saturday, only once had an Ole Miss starting pitcher in a three-game series recorded any time beyond the fifth inning. On average, the Rebels are getting four innings per start on the weekends.

John Gaddis threw seven shutout innings versus UCF in an extra-inning loss for the lone exception.

So, while Dougherty didn’t get an out in the sixth inning before the bullpen took over, his mere presence that deep into a game was a welcome sign for Ole Miss and maybe some evidence of solidifying the day-three spot in the rotation.

“We haven’t had a ton of that and less than five a lot of games,” Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said. “He looked really sharp.”

Dougherty allowed two runs on seven hits in a 15-2 Ole Miss win to claim the series. He walked three and struck out seven while dancing around some trouble. The right-hander stranded eight runners through five innings, including two runners in the second, third and fourth innings. He left after a leadoff single in the sixth.

Dougherty threw 56 strikes in 92 pitches and held his velocity around 90 MPH throughout the outing. He maxed at 93 MPH with his fastball.

It was his second career weekend start, as he allowed four runs in 2.2 innings against Oral Roberts a week prior, however that came after a 12-day layoff because of shoulder tendinitis. He also didn’t pitch from February 20 to March 1. He only had 7.2 innings this season before the effort against Auburn.

“Last week we were trying to get him a start before SEC play, but it had been 10 days since he really gotten in a game and threw a bullpen before on Sunday,” Bianco said. We felt he was strong and healthy last week but he wasn’t sharp and wasn’t the Jack we saw today, a guy who totally fills up the zone. I’m proud of his effort.”

Ole Miss has five games against teams from Dougherty’s (Collierville, Tenn.) home state this week — two against Memphis in the midweek starting Tuesday at 6 p.m. at AutoZone Park and a three-game home set with top-five Tennessee.

Dougherty will start this weekend, getting his first home SEC start in the books. He did start against Southern Miss in the 2021 Oxford Regional.

“I felt better, just preparation,” Dougherty said. I took a few day break with tightness in my shoulder and that’s gone now. I felt like myself and had my fastball like I normally do.”