2014 SEC Baseball Tournament – Ole Miss Downs Vanderbilt, 7-2

We needed that, we really really needed that.

The Ole Miss Rebels (41-17, 20-12) came into part two of the 2nd round in the 2014 SEC Baseball Tournament ready to play. It came late in the game, but the Rebels finally got their batting back to the way we have grown accustom to seeing this season. Ole Miss downs Vanderbilt, 7-2. The Commodores will head home as the Rebels will advance to the third round awaiting for the loser of the Arkansas and LSU game.

Ole Miss also has their eye on another game that is on the other side of the tournament bracket. With their hopes still alive for a possible national seed, the Rebels are crossing their fingers for a South Carolina loss to Florida. If you are unaware of what we are talking about then we will get you up to speed.

Ole Miss is currently in a race with South Carolina to possibly secure one of the eight national seeds going into the NCAA Tournament. If South Carolina drops out of the tournament without a win and the Rebels can advance a little more, there is no question of who deserves to be in the discussion.

As far as today’s game goes, like we said, the Rebels finally got their batting going after yesterday’s loss to Arkansas. Vanderbilt got on the board first after a two out rally following an infield single. The Rebels answered back in the 3rd inning from a sacrifice fly to left from Braxton Lee that brought home Preston Overbey. This would tie the game at one.

In the sixth inning, the Rebels took the lead and never looked back. After Austin Anderson got on base from a walk, Anderson was able to reach 90 feet from home after a fielding error on the next at bat. This setup Sikes Orvis to sacrifice fly out to deep center, and with Anderson coming home, Ole Miss took the lead, 2-1.

Ole Miss broke things open in the seventh inning. It started with a pair of hits from Colby Bortles and Overbey. With Will Jamison on second running for Bortles and Overbey at first, Errol Robinson came up to the plate to deliver a well executed sacrifice bunt that brought both Jamison and Overbey in scoring position.

After intentionally walking Braxton Lee, Vanderbilt loaded the bases for Auston Bousfield (I don’t know). Whatever the plan was, it backfired on the Commodores. Bousfield delivered an RBI single that extended the lead to 3-1 and kept the bases loaded for Austin Anderson.

Anderson delivered a two-RBI single that brought home Overbey and Lee. Bousfield would advance to third on the play. Anderson would then get caught in a rundown to bring the 2nd out. However, the distraction was enough to allow Bousfield to safely come home. Ole Miss would leave the top of the 7th inning with a 6-1 lead over Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt did have a good effort of a rally attempt. In the home half of the same inning, the Commodores would get the bases loaded with two outs. Greenwood would then hit the next batter bringing home an unearned run for Vanderbilt. This kept the bases loaded and now the tying run at the plate for the Commodores. But, Greenwood delivered a well executed strikeout on a full count to get the Rebels out of the jam.

The Rebels did get that five run cushion back in the final inning. Bousfield opened the inning with a double and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. This setup Will Allen to sacrifice fly out to bring home Bousfield to complete the scoring, 7-2 to the score.

Josh Laxer, who worked the final two innings on the mound for the Rebels, closed it solidly and prevented Vanderbilt from putting anything together in the ninth. Laxer would close out allowing only one hit, no runs, and picked up a strikeout. Aaron Greenwood picked up the win, who relieved starter Jeremy Massie after 4.1 innings.