LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Kentucky showed once again that it was up to the task of competing with a ranked opponent on its home turf, but No. 9 Ole Miss broke through for the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning on Friday and escaped with a 2-1 victory in Game 1 of the weekend series at Kentucky Proud Park.

A classic -- and unexpected --- pitchers' duel was broken up when the Rebels' TJ McCants opened the ninth inning with a lead-off triple, his first three-bagger of the season. Kentucky closer Sean Harney struck out the next two batters, but Hayden Leatherwood lined a 1-1 hanging curve into right field for the game-winning RBI single.

Ole Miss (18-7, 3-4 SEC) and Kentucky (17-10, 2-5 SEC) combined for only eight hits on a cold, windy night when both clubs had to scramble to alter their pitching rotations.

The Rebels went with Dylan DeLucia, who entered the game having surrendered 13 earned runs in 18.1 innings this season. All the right-hander did was hold the Cats to one unearned run on three hits and one walk over 6.1 innings on the mound.

DeLucia gave way to John Gaddis, who worked out of a jam with two big outs in the seventh inning, and Brandon Johnson (1-0), who tossed two perfect innings of relief with five strikeouts to earn the win.

The Cats countered with a committee approach in place of normal Friday night starter Cole Stupp, who was diagnosed with a season-ending injury last week.

Mason Hazelwood, Ryan Hagenow, Tyler Guilfoil, and Sean Harney (4-1) were outstanding for most of the night, holding an Ole Miss lineup that was averaging 9.1 runs per game to only one earned run on five hits. The UK staff racked up 14 strikeouts.

During the first eight innings of play, both teams scored an unearned run on a misplayed comeback grounder to the opposing pitcher. Tim Elko had an RBI single for Ole Miss in the first inning, and Chase Estep had an RBI groundout for UK in the sixth.

Kentucky missed an opportunity to record its fifth win over a Top 25 opponent this season. The Cats took two out of three from both No. 8 TCU and No. 14 Georgia in March.

The series resumes on Saturday with a 2 p.m. ET start at KPP.