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Ole Miss Baseball: No.4 Rebels Rally In Midweek Thriller, No.5 Hogs Next

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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When No.4 Ole Miss baseball stepped onto Swayze Field Tuesday night to face the No.14 Southern Miss Golden Eagles it was a match-up of Mississippi’s best.

It’s hard to imagine a tougher midweek game for No.4 Ole Miss baseball (23-3, 4-2) after coming off a road series win at College Station. No.14 Southern Miss (17-6, 4-1) has had a terrific season which began with a series sweep over then-ranked Miss State. Of course, when you place the two best Mississippi baseball teams in a midweek game you can expect fireworks. Tuesday night was no exception.

The Golden Eagles came out swinging and jumped on the board with 4 runs in the top of the 1st. The Rebels couldn’t answer in the bottom of the frame and USM took the 4-0 lead into the 2nd. After a scoreless frame the Golden Eagles added 1 run in the bottom of the 3rd to extend the lead to 5-0. The Rebels rallied with 3 runs in the bottom of the 4th and cut the USM lead to 5-3.

After a scoreless 5th and 6th frames, the Rebels then added 4 runs in the bottom of the 7th. Three runs and the lead came from a monster shot from Thomas Dillard. The Rebels held USM at bay thru the 8th with the 7-5 lead. However, the Golden Eagles tried a hard rally and added a run in the top of the 9th. The Rebels had the 7-6 but USM had runners on with 2 away in the top of the 9th. With the count full USM’s Hunter Slater lifted a deep ball which to the fence which was gloved by Will Golsan giving the Rebels the 7-6 win.

Once again we saw the Rebels explode at the plate late in the game and get great support from the Rebels bullpen to get the win. Let’s look at the stats.

By The Numbers

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Freshman left-hander Jordan Fowler (3-0, 1.93) drew the start on the mound for the Rebels. Fowler went for 0.1 innings and allowed 4 earned runs on 3 hits. Fowler had 1 BB. Coach Mike Bianco made the call and sophomore right-hander Houston Roth (3-0, 5.06) took the hill. Roth went 5.0 innings and allowed 1 earned run on 7 hits. Roth had 7 Ks and 1 BB.

Mike Bianco went to the bullpen once again and sophomore right-hander Greer Holston (1-0, 3.97) entered in the 6th. Holston went 1.2 innings and allowed no hits. Holston had 3 Ks. Junior right-hander Dallas Woolfolk (1-0, 0.84, 6svs) entered in the 7th and went 1.0 innings. Woolfolk and allowed no hits.

Red-shirt sophomore right-hander Parker Caracci (1-0, 1.15, 3svs) entered in the 8th and closed out the night for the Rebels pitching staff. Caracci allowed 0 earned runs on 2 hits and had 1 K and 1 BB.

At The Plate

On the night 7 Rebels combined for 11 hits with 4 Rebels having multiple hit performances. Leading all Rebels at the plate was freshman Tyler Keenan (.267, 2HR) who went 2 for 2. Juniors Nick Fortes (.278, 5HR), Ryan Olenek (.322, 1HR) and Jacob Adams (.320, 2HR) all went 2 for 4. Fortes had 1 RBI.

Also collecting hits Tuesday night was freshman Tim Elko (.244, 1HR) who went 1 for 2. Sophomore Thomas Dillard (.330, 7HR), who delivered the shot of the night, went 1 for 3 (HR) and had 3 RBI. Junior Chase Cockrell (.434, 3HR) went 1 for 4 with 2 RBI.

The Rebels continue to produce at the plate when it’s really needed. The Rebels are in the middle of a very tough two-week (7 games) stretch which began last weekend against No.11Texas A&M. With the win over No.14 Southern Miss the Rebels are 3-1 thru four of those games. The Rebels will now be required to face their toughest opponent yet.

Up Next

The Rebels will host a weekend series ,beginning Thursday March 29th in Oxford at Swayze Field, against the No.5 Arkansas Razorbacks (18-7, 4-2). This is easily the toughest team Ole Miss has faced this season. Of course, this is the weekend series which could easily decide the SEC West since both team are tied in SEC play. The Arkansas series will not be easy but Ole Miss baseball has the combination of great pitching and serious plate production to get the job done.

Next: Better Than Expected...

Arkansas can hit the long ball better than anybody and the Rebels pitching staff will have its work cut out to keep the ball inside the fence. The Razorbacks are coming off a midweek 8-7 road win over the Memphis Tigers after dropping the final two games against No.2 Florida last weekend. So far the Hogs are 3-3 in road games this season. First pitch from Swayze Field will be at 6:30pm CT and the game will be televised on SEC Network+. Good luck to coach Mike Bianco and the Rebels. BEAT THE HOGS! Hotty Toddy!

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