Ole Miss Baseball: No.11 Rebels suffer sweep to No.5 Miss State
Coach Mike Bianco and No.11 Ole Miss baseball were back in action Sunday as they were trying to avoid the sweep to No.5 Miss State.
After dropping game-one Friday night and then game-two Saturday night, No.11 Ole Miss baseball (32-20, 15-12) was back in action Sunday afternoon. Coach Mike Bianco and the Rebels were hoping to avoid the SEC series sweep to the No.5 Miss State Bulldogs (42-10, 18-9). The Bulldogs would give the Rebels more of the same.
Ole Miss took the early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first but Miss State answered in the top of the third to make it a 1-1 game. The Rebels retook the lead at 2-1 with a run in the bottom of the frame. The top of the fourth inning was a nightmare for the Rebels as the Bulldogs scored 9 runs to take a 10-2 lead.
Ole Miss answered with 1 run in the bottom of the inning to cut the Miss State lead to 10-3. The Rebels then added 2 runs in the bottom of the eighth to make it 10-5. Miss State added 1 run in the top of the ninth for insurance and picked up the 11-5 win and the sweep. OHT looks at the game-three loss by the numbers and has some observations.
By The Numbers
Ole Miss Rebels
In the game-three loss there were 9 Rebels who combined for 10 hits. Leading all Rebels at the plate was junior Grae Kessinger who went 2 for 5. Senior Michael Fitzsimmons went 1 for 1 while freshman Carl Gindl went 1 for 2 with 1 RBI. Freshman Kevin Graham went 1 for 3.
Junior Thomas Dillard and senior Jacob Adams each went 1 for 4 with Dillard knocking in 2 RBI and Adams getting 1 RBI at the plate. Junior Cooper Johnson and sophomore Tyler Keenan also each went 1 for 4. Sophomore Anthony Servideo went 1 for 5 in the game.
On the mound freshman right-hander Gunnar Hoglund drew the expected start for the Rebels. Hoglund went for 3.2 innings allowing 5 earned runs on 8 hits with 1 K, 2 BB and 1 IBB. Bianco went to the bullpen and junior left-hander Zack Phillips entered. Phillips went for 0.0 inning allowing 2 earned run on no hits with 2 BB.
Out of the bullpen sophomore right-hander Max Cioffi entered and went for 1.0 inning allowing 3 earned runs on 4 hits. Junior right-hander Austin Miller entered in the fifth and went for 3.0 innings allowing just 1 hit with 4 Ks and 1 BB.
Junior right-hander Houston Roth entered in the 8th and went for 1.0 inning allowing 2 hits. Senior right-hander Connor Green entered in the eighth and went for 0.2 inning allowing 1 earned run on 2 hits. Bianco went back to the pen and junior right-hander Taylor Broadway finish out the mound going 0.1 inning and allowing no hits.
Observations
This was a three-game disaster for the Rebels. Suffering an SEC sweep is never good and made worse when it comes at the hands of your archrival. How does a team beat Ole Miss? Well, coach Chris Lemonis showed us this weekend. You work the arms of freshman pitchers, take advantage of opportunities and get the early lead.
Inconsistencies on the mound and at the plate added up for the Rebels. Miss State committed 6 errors thru the last two games and still the Rebels couldn’t take advantage of their miscues. The Rebels stranded 17 runners thru the three-game series with 14 alone in game-two and game three. This was an embarrassing series.
Next. The 2019 Grove Bowl!. dark
Coach Mike Bianco and Ole Miss baseball will be back in action Tuesday night as they face off against Arkansas State. First pitch from Jonesboro is set for 6:30pm CT and the game will not be televised. Good luck to coach Bianco and the Rebels. Hotty Toddy!