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Ole Miss Baseball: No.8 Rebels Take Series Against Long Beach State

By Daniel Skipper

Omaha, NE - JUNE 26: Baseball fans gather outside TD Ameritrade Park prior to game one of the College World Series Championship Series, between the LSU Tigers and the Florida Gators on June 26, 2017 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Omaha, NE - JUNE 26: Baseball fans gather outside TD Ameritrade Park prior to game one of the College World Series Championship Series, between the LSU Tigers and the Florida Gators on June 26, 2017 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /
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After splitting the double-header on Saturday Ole Miss baseball took the series against the Dirtbags with a huge 12-1 win on Sunday.

Ole Miss baseball was undefeated heading into the weekend road series with Long Beach State. The Rebels needed a good test on the road and this certainly filled the bill for coach Mike Bianco and the Rebels team. With the Friday night game-one postponed the Rebels would face the Dirtbags in a double-header on Saturday.

Ole Miss would drop game-one in a 3-4 decision as they faced the regular game-two starter. It was a smart move at the time by Long Beach State skipper Troy Buckley to save his game-one ace for game-two. However, it backfired in the second game and Ole Miss picked up the 4-3 game-two win.

With the rubber match on Sunday the series could have gone either way, but the Rebels bats showed up for the 12-1 game-three win and took the series on the road to a perennial college baseball powerhouse. Winning this series was indeed a good test for the Rebels and shows this baseball team is legit. Of course, we’ll break down each game and look at the numbers.

By The Numbers

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Game 1

Of course, the game which was supposed to be played Friday night was moved to Saturday because of rain. That would mean regular Friday starter sophomore left-hander Ryan Rolison would pitch on an extra day of rest.

Rolison (2-1) went for 6.2 innings on the hill and allowed 3 earned-runs on 8 hits. Rolison had 3 Ks and 2 BB. Sophomore right-hander Will Ethridge entered in relief and went 1.1 innings. Ethridge had 1 K and 1 BB.

Maybe it was jet lag or having an extra day to chill but the Rebels started slow at the plate. Against Dirtbag pitching 4 Rebels combined for 3 runs on 6 hits. Nick Fortes and Cole Zabowski both had 2 for 3 games at the plate.

Tim Elko went 1 for 3 and had a RBI. Anthony Servideo went 1 for 4 at the plate and also had a RBI. However, as a result of poor hitting and aggressive base-running by the Dirtbags, the Rebels fell in game-one 3-4 for their first loss of the 2018 season.

Game 2

The starter for Ole Miss baseball on the mound was red-shirt junior Brady Feigl. Feigl pitched for 7.1 innings. Feigl allowed 3 earned runs on 6 hits and had 6 Ks. Dallas Woolfolk entered in the 8th and struggled from what we are used to seeing from Woolfolk. Feigl allowed 1 hit and 3 BB in 6 batters faced. However, Woolfolk managed to get the save, his 5th of the season.

At the plate there were five Rebels who combined for 4 runs on 9 hits. Will Golsan went 3 for 4 at the plate and scored a run. Ryan Olenek got cranked up and went 3 for 5 against the Dirtbags ace Baayoun. Tim Elko went 1 for 3 and added a RBI. Jacob Adams went 1 for 3 and scored a run. Nick Fortes went 1 for 4 and had a RBI and scored a run.

This game could have easily seen the series fall to the Dirtbags. However, the Rebels were able to produce enough at the plate to get the 4-3 win and head into the rubber game with some needed momentum.

Sunday Game 3

On the day 9 Rebels hitters combined for 12 runs on 14 hits and four Rebels went for multiple hits in the contest. Among those were lead-off Grae Kessinger who went 3 for 4 on the day. Kessinger also had 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Cooper Johnson went 2 for 3 with 1 RBI and a run scored. Also having a multiple hit day at the plate was Nick Fortes who went 2 for 5 with a RBI and a run scored. Also in multiple hits was Tyler Keenan who went 2 for 5 and a run scored.

Other Rebels hitters making their mark at the plate was senior Will Golsan and Ryan Olenek who both went 1 for 4 in the game. Both also had 2 RBI and a run scored. Cole Zabowski and Chase Cockrell both went 1 for 2 in the game as DH. Zaobowski had a RBI and scored a run while Cockrell had 2 RBI. Tim Rowe went 1 for 1 in a PH situation.

Of course, junior right-hander James McArthur drew the start on the mound for the Rebels. McArthur went 5.0 innings and allowed no runs on just 2 hits. McArthur had 5 Ks. Sophomore right-hander Greer Holston entered in the 6th and went for 1 inning. Holston allowed just one earned run on 3 hits. Freshman right-hander Max Cioffi entered in the 7th and went for 2 innings of work. Cioffi allowed no hits and had 1 K. Junior right-hander Conner Green finished out the night on the mound in the 9th. Green allowed no runs on 3 hits and had 1 K.

Next: Season Predictions!

Up Next

Ole Miss baseball will be back in Oxford to take on Austin Peay Tuesday night at Swayze Field. First pitch is set for 6:30pm CT and the game will be televised on SEC Network+. Good luck to coach Mike Bianco and the Rebels. Hotty Toddy!

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