OXFORD | Max Cioffi woke up nervous on Tuesday, anticipating the final hours before his return to the mound.

Days shy of one year since Tommy John surgery (UCL reconstruction), Cioffi threw a scoreless inning in Ole Miss’ 8-2 win over Murray State. This game was the target date for the past couple weeks, and he performed well, throwing 14 strikes in 21 pitches with two strikeouts.

Cioffi had been throwing simulated live action in practice prior to this week, but there’s a certain milestone in doing it against another team and in front of a crowd.

“We’ve seen it, but for him to do it without people in the stands against another team is great,” Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said. “He’s been working his tail off for a year. (Throwing live) for a month, just trying to prepare for this. So it’s really cool. I’ve seen it a few times where guys go through that long rehab and it’s a neat moment, especially when they have success like he did today.”

Cioffi said he’s at "92 percent" compared to prior to the injury. His fastball maxed at 88 MPH and sat 86-87 during the inning. That’s a couple ticks down from his pre-injury velocity. The Illinois native’s breaking ball appeared sharp and as good or better than before.

“I feel confident enough to be out there and compete,” Cioffi said. “I’m ready to be out there. I’m nervous every time I pitch. It fuels me and gives me adrenaline and helps me go.”

It was the first appearance for the fifth-year right-hander since April 5, 2021, when he threw one inning against North Alabama. After 1.2 innings against Texas Tech on opening week last year, he missed two months with multiple injuries, the most severe obviously being the elbow ailment that ended his season following that inning versus the Lions.

In the shortened 2020 season, Cioffi didn’t allow a run or a walk in eight innings spread out over six appearances. He had 12 strikeouts when the season was canceled.

Cioffi has 39 career appearances with a 3.05 ERA and .222 batting average against.

With the Rebels sitting at 4-8 in the SEC, Cioffi’s healthy arm gives Ole Miss another needed option with the pitching staff. Bianco is employing an all-hands-on-deck approach, as Dylan DeLucia is the only pitcher to have a six-inning outing this season. He’s done it twice.

Cioffi said he’s felt like a coach and struggled on the sidelines with being unable to help this year. He called it “tough to watch.”

Now he gets his chance to make an impact the rest of the way. Cioffi considered moving on after last season. He’d graduated and was facing a lot of rehabilitation on the elbow. But, instead, he stuck with it, he’s getting a graduate degree, and now a big step is accomplished in being back on the field.

“You have to be patient, you have to trust that you’re doing the right thing,” Cioffi said. “Sometimes you can have thoughts back and forth and make the right decisions. Should I start my life? This was what I wanted to do and you have to stay true to your roots and be yourself.”