Heading into its biggest series of the season, Ole Miss picked up its biggest win.

Matt Tracy scored on Preston Overbey’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth Sunday, giving Ole Miss a 7-6 victory — and a series win — over top-ranked South Carolina.

The Rebels (27-21, 11-13 Southeastern Conference) took two out of three from the Gamecocks (37-10, 18-6) to pick up a huge momentum boost heading into a three-game set with archrival Mississippi State that begins on Thursday. Ole Miss is also a game behind Arkansas and Alabama in the SEC West, and tied with Mississippi State and Auburn for second place.

“This weekend was terrific,” Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco said. “It was a special weekend and one that helps our team tremendously. Even though the win today was much different than yesterday, it was great to see our guys keep it together all the way through. The team that wins normally gets the timely hit, and we were able to do that today.”

The teams traded the lead throughout the game. Ole Miss led 3-0 after three innings, then South Carolina went ahead with two runs in the fourth and three in the fifth. Ole Miss regained the lead in the sixth, then the Gamecocks tied it again in the seventh.

Finally, Ole Miss scored when South Carolina was out of chances.

Tracy drew a leadoff walk against Carolina closer Matt Price. It was only the 11th walk Price has surrendered this season. Tracy then went from first to third on a single by Miles Hamblin and scored the winning run on Overbey’s fly ball to right center.

The ninth-inning rally made a winner of Ole Miss reliever Jake Morgan (3-0), who threw 21⁄3 scoreless innings. Morgan entered in the seventh inning with a runner on first. He allowed the inherited runner to score, but escaped without further damage and kept the Gamecocks off the board in the eighth and ninth.

Matt Snyder went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run for Ole Miss, while Tracy and Alex Yarbrough had two hits apiece and scored two runs.

Brady Thomas was 2-for-4 with a double, triple, two RBIs and two runs scored for South Carolina.