Ole Miss Baseball: Rebels Need To Break Slump In A Busy Week

The Ole Miss baseball team was undefeated at 7-0 less than a week ago, and then Memphis happened. Since that point, the Rebels have dropped three in a row, and are coming home in a slump. They hope to improve in the final home stand before SEC play begins. Wow, this past week’s detour on the road to Omaha was rough!

Baseball is a game of ups and downs, and this young season has been just that for the Ole Miss baseball team. The Rebels entered the 2017 season on fire, and ranked at #8 in the nation. In their first seven games, the Rebels faced #6 ECU and #23 UNCW, and were unstoppable. The young Rebel team swept both nationally ranked teams,and dominated their opponents enough to garner a #1 RPI.

The game against Memphis was ugly, in complete contrast  to what we had seen from this Ole Miss baseball team in the first seven contests. There were (4) errors committed, which contributed to five Tiger runs in a 9-6 Memphis win, handing Ole Miss their first loss of the season.

Ole Miss Baseball Slumps In Texas Tourney

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An impressive 7-1 resume doesn’t mean a team is slumping, but add a few consecutive losses and it’s a slump. The Shriners Hospital for Children College Classic was a well-organized tourney, in which Ole Miss would face three nationally ranked Big-12 teams. Ole Miss baseball fell short against #17 Baylor 4-0, against #10 Texas Tech 5-1, and then to #1 TCU 5-3.

Rebel bats fell flat against the Bears in the tourney opener, only tallying two hits, while Rebel pitching allowed eight. The bleeding at the plate stopped and Rebel sluggers slated seven hits. The pitching staff performed well, and held a solid TTU team to only six hits, but the deciding factors in the decision, were the three errors committed by Ole Miss.

Sunday would prove to be a continuance of the previous two days, and be a loss against TCU. Ole Miss baseball would attempt a late rally in the 8th inning with three runs, however, it was not enough. The Rebels would return to Oxford 0-3 from the Texas tourney, indeed in a slump.

Pre-SEC Swayze Home Stand Is The Remedy

Ole Miss baseball returns home Tuesday at Swayze, and it couldn’t come at a better time. Five games in six days may sound tough, but it will be of great benefit to Ole Miss use these to get back on track. Georgia State University (6-4) will be up tonight at 6:30 p.m. CT and then have a second game Wednesday at 3 p.m. CT. Probable starters on the mound for Ole Miss baseball will be two freshmen. Ryan Rolison, a lefty, will draw the start tonight, while the exciting right-hander Will Ethridge takes the hill in Wednesdays match-up.

This should be interesting for two young pitchers, as they face GSU slugging sensation Romero Greer (.531). Greer ranks in the top 10 nationally, and is very hard to pitch around. This is a test which could build-up arms, and confidence in the Rebel pitching staff. It is pertinent, we have strong arms and intense momentum going into SEC play next week.

Rebel sluggers will face a junior southpaw in Brandon Baker tonight. Baker is 0-1, 5.68 ERA, 6.1 IP, thus far in the GSU season. Rebel bats seemed to spark against TCU, and that should carryover to tonight’s game. Colby Bortles and Tate Blackman will produce offensively, and should see a beer shower tonight at Swayze Field. Bortles was selected to the Shriners Hospital for Children College Classic All-Tournament Team for his (.300) performance at the plate.

Furman Finishes Out The Week

Ole Miss baseball will host Furman, for a three game series beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT, and then again on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. CT. The Rebels will then finish up the series Sunday, also at 1:30 p.m. CT. Probable lineups have not been announced, however they should be released soon. The Rebels show out this week and I can tell you why. Ole Miss has Bianco.

Bianco Is Ole Miss Baseball

Ole Miss baseball skipper, Mike Bianco, has been around baseball his whole life as a coach and player. Coach Bianco has seen his share of high expectations and low moments at each level. And this season, it has been no different for Bianco and this Rebel team. However, Bianco’s tough teams in the past have bounced back hard and usually finish strong. This Ole Miss baseball team is very tough.

Mike Bianco took over as Ole Miss baseball head coach, on June 7, 2000, began to produce immediately, and hasn’t slacked up. Bianco pushes his players to get better through adversity, and Ole Miss baseball has reaped the benefits of having a tough coach.

In Bianco’s 16 seasons as Rebel skipper, the Ole Miss baseball team has compiled a record of 637-375-1 (.630). Coach Bianco is the winning-est baseball coach in Rebel history, as well as one of the most respected active coaches on the collegiate level. Bianco has made 14 post-season appearances in his 16 seasons in Oxford. Let that sink in for a minute.

Bianco can straighten things out, like he always has, and furthermore, he will.

Ole Miss Baseball Fans Quit Stressing Out

Geez, y’all act like we’ve never been here before, however, we have. In fact, we have lost four consecutive games, on numerous occasions. At some point, within the past seven seasons, Ole Miss baseball has lost four straight games seven times. However, Bianco and his Rebels, made it to the NCAA Tournament, including a trip to the College World Series in six of those seven seasons. Don’t worry about this team, because they are going to be winners. Because, We Are Ole Miss!