OXFORD | Ole Miss had multiple mishaps during the series loss to UCF over the weekend, but the most pivotal one was the lack of plate discipline — especially during the Saturday doubleheader split that ended with the Knights securing the rubber game.

The No. 4 Rebels (5-2) moved negatively from aggressive to flailing at times, extending the strike zone for UCF pitchers and giving away at-bats. During the two games Saturday, Ole Miss offensively faced 18 full-count pitches. Ten of those times UCF pitchers threw would-be ball fours, but Ole Miss swung at offerings outside the zone on eight of those 10 pitches.

“We lost too many of those 3-2 battles where you’d hope you’d at worst be 50-50 and good offenses win more than you lose,” Mike Bianco said. “Yesterday the focus was to grind out at-bats and when we get to those 50-50 3-2 counts we need to win them.”

Jacob Gonzalez struck out on a full-count pitch to start the bottom of the first after Memphis took a 2-0 lead in the top half, but Ole Miss walked four times on full counts during the opening inning to score a run. Bianco said it set the tone for better at-bats, and the Rebels took plenty of Tiger charity.

Ole Miss walked 14 times on the night and added 11 hits to pound Memphis, 16-4, to start the five-game week. The Rebels host Jackson State on Wednesday before a weekend series with Belmont. Senior right-hander Tyler Myers will start for Ole Miss against the Tigers.

Ole Miss reached base six times out of eight full counts.

“The early part of the game was ugly, but we settled in and worked counts and made good swings,” Bianco said.

Eleven different Rebels walked during the game. Justin Bench had three hits and reached base four times with five RBIs. Tim Elko, Gonzalez and TJ McCants had two hits apiece. Elko hit his first home run of the season.

Drew McDaniel started and allowed four runs in four innings before Jackson Kimbrell pitched three perfect frames with five strikeouts. Greer Holston, making his first appearance of the season, retired six straight with three strikeouts and three groundouts.