OXFORD ― Mississippi State baseball has made a habit of beating Ole Miss lately — the Bulldogs have won the SEC series the past seven seasons.

But MSU hasn't issued many thrashings like the 8-0 loss it handed the Rebels on Friday, especially in Oxford. The win marked Mississippi State's largest margin of victory at Swayze Field since 1997, when Ron Polk's team beat Pat Harrison's Rebels 21-6.

The Bulldogs (22-12, 7-6 SEC) rode the right arm of Khal Stephen to the win. He wasn't always overpowering, but he was precise. He allowed just three hits — all singles — and struck out nine on his way to the best pitching performance of the season for the team. Ole Miss (18-16, 3-10) advanced two runners into scoring position all night. The only free pass Stephen issued was a first-inning hit-by-pitch.

Ole Miss starter Riley Maddox for four innings looked like he might match Stephen. The Bulldogs wouldn't allow it. They capitalized on a fifth-inning defensive mistake to give Stephen all the run support he'd need, then exploded in the sixth to turn a pitchers' duel into a blowout.

Mistake helps Mississippi State baseball break the ice

Ole Miss has rarely missed an opportunity to contribute to its own downfall this season, and that chance came on a chopper to third base in the fifth inning.

It was always going to be difficult for Andrew Fischer to nab the MSU's Bryce Chance at first base, but his throw sailed high and wide of the mark, which allowed Chance to scoot to second with nobody out.

Some solid situational hitting followed. Chance advanced to third on a bunt, and Logan Kohler drove him in with a two-strike groundout to put Mississippi State on the board first.

FULL UPDATES: Mississippi State live score updates vs Ole Miss baseball: Bulldogs face Rebels in SEC

Huge sixth inning puts Mississippi State in control

When the Bulldogs stepped to the plate next, slugger Dakota Jordan continued his habit of beating up on Ole Miss, taking Maddox deep to center field for a two-run shot in the sixth to put MSU up 3-0. In five career games against the Rebels, he has homered three times and driven in eight runs.

Maddox, Austin Simmons and Mitch Murrell combined to allow six hits and two walks in an inning that saw the visitors send 11 men to the plate and post six runs.

David Mershon's two-out, two-run single capped the inning, giving Mississippi State an 8-0 advantage.

Johnny Long returns to Mississippi State lineup

MSU catcher Johnny Long made his return to the lineup after serving a one-game suspension in Sunday’s win against Georgia. After an altercation at the end of the eighth inning in last Saturday’s game between MSU and UGA, Long was ejected and handed a suspension by the SEC.

Long finished 0-for-2 on the night with a pair of walks.

Up next

The teams will meet for the second game of their series on Saturday (7:30 p.m. CT, ESPN2).

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State baseball blows out Ole Miss for series-opening win