When Will Golsan stepped to the plate with two strikes, a runner on second and two outs, Ole Miss was down 4-2.
When Will Golsan’s at-bat was over, Ole Miss was tied with Southeast Missouri State at 4 as the sophomore first baseman deposited a 1-2 pitch over the left field wall. Ole Miss would go on to win 6-4.
Will Golson, first baseman, attempts to tag a runner during a pickoff in Tuesday’s game. (Photo by: Cameron Brooks)
It was a shot in the arm for the Rebels, who had fallen behind due to some untimely errors in the field and a solid performance from sophomore Redhawk pitcher Adam Pennington.
“It felt good,” Golsan said of the blast. “I just kept my hands back and tried to drive it somewhere. Luckily, it got over the fence.”
The Rebels had fallen behind with some sloppy play in the field and a solid performance from Redhawk sophomore starting pitcher Adam Pennington.
The Rebels were able to take the lead in the bottom of the 8th inning when senior pinch-hitter Holt Perdzock stepped to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning and smacked a bases-loaded single to left field to drive in two runs to put the Rebels ahead.
The Rebels pitched well on Wednesday as they didn’t give up an earned run.
Freshmen Andy Pagnozzi started the game on the mound for the Rebels and only surrendered one unearned run in four innings before he was pulled for his pitch count.
The back end of the bullpen was dominant again, and they needed to be as the Rebels found themselves in a close contest late in the game. The Rebels pen only gave up one hit to the 19 batters they faced over five innings.
Will Stokes started the seventh inning and retired four of five batters he faced before handing the ball to Wyatt Short. Short retired the final four Redhawks hitters to give the Rebels the 6-4 victory.
“Tonight we needed (Stokes) to be sharp,” Ole Miss head baseball coach Mike Bianco said. “Maybe that was the difference. It was in that close game, where we really needed him to be sharp.”
The Ole Miss bullpen didn’t give up an earned run in five innings on Wednesday, and have now gone 19 innings without giving up an earned run, dating back to the Feb. 28 victory over No. 2 Louisville.
The Ole Miss bullpen has only given up eight earned runs on the season over 54.2 innings, good for a 1.32 ERA.
The bullpen has seen a lot of key additions this season from freshmen including Pagnozzi and and Dallas Woolfolk.
Woolfolk pitched one inning Wednesday, giving up an unearned run and flashing velocity into the mid 90’s. Woolfolk on the season has gone seven innings, only allow two unearned runs while striking out six.
“(Bianco) wants me to come out of the pen and get the job done,” Woolfolk said. “I go in there and try to throw as many strikes as I can and get the job done.”
The Rebels have relied on a myriad of newcomers. Ole Miss has thrown eight new pitchers over the course of the first 13 games. The newcomers have only given up seven earned runs in 41.2 innings, good for a 1.51 ERA.
“We knew they were very talented,” Bianco said. “You just don’t know which ones are ready to do it right now. Fortunately, a lot of those young guys have stepped in and pitched like they’re capable of right now.”
The Rebels will take on Grambling State this weekend in a three-game series, the last non-conference series before SEC play starts.
– Collin Brister
