Errol Robinson fields the ball during a game aganst William & Mary in Oxford Saturday. Photo by Thomas Graning.
Game 1: Ole Miss 9, William & Mary 4
The Diamond Rebs opened up the 2015 season with a 9-4 win over William & Mary on Friday.
Junior pitcher Christian Trent got the win in his first career Friday night start. Trent gave up one run on six hits in five innings of work. He looked shaky at times and put himself in a couple of bad spots, but he managed to escape some jams and was able to keep the Tribe off of the scoreboard on several occasions.
“Trent wasn’t his best today but certainly in Trent form,” head coach Mike Bianco said. “He made pitches when he had to and looked terrific.”
The Rebels scored nine runs on just seven hits in the contest. Senior center fielder J.B. Woodman had a nice evening at the plate. Woodman pounded two hits and two RBI’s on the night.
The story of the game was freshman left-fielder Kyle Watson. In his first start, Watson went 2-3 from the plate, which included a two-run double to left-center that extended the Rebel lead to 7-4.
“I don’t think I have ever seen a freshman that composed on day one,” senior closer Scott Weathersby said.
Weathersby looked sharp in his first appearance of the season. Weathersby came on in relief for sophomore pitcher Evan Anderson in the 6th inning after the lead had been cut to 5-4. Weathersby went two and two-thirds innings, allowing no hits and striking out three.
Game 2: William & Mary 8, Ole Miss 1
The Rebels dropped game two of the series with William & Mary by a score of 8-1.
Senior pitcher Sam Smith took the hill for the Rebels and struggled in his first start of the season. He went three innings and gave up four runs on four hits with three walks. The trouble began in the fourth inning for Smith when he gave up a three-run homer to right.
“He just didn’t have anything,” Bianco said. “He really struggled in the strike zone, which is so uncharacteristic of him.”
Smith was replaced by junior left-hander Matt Denny. Denny threw just 19 pitches, struggling to find the strike zone. Throwing only four strikes, Denny walked three batters, including walking a run in. The Tribe opened the game up from there, scoring six runs in the inning and cruising to an 8-1 victory.
Sophomore right hander Nick Brown took the ball for the Tribe in game two. Brown went six and one/third innings, allowing one run on just five hits. Brown struck out six Rebel batters and walked just three.
The Rebel bats were quiet in game two with only one run after five hits. Sophomore designated hitter Henri Lartigue and junior right fielder Cameron Dishon led the way for the Rebels with two hits each. The top of the order for the Rebels struggled, going a combined 0-13.
Jacob Waguespack came on in relief, allowing just one hit in five innings of work.
“I’m just trying to do whatever, so we can get the win,” Waguespack said. “Obviously pitching good whenever we lose is a sucky feeling, but whatever I can do to help the team win.”
GAME 3: OLE MISS 16, WILLIAM & MARY 2
The Rebels were looking to rebound after a sloppy performance in game two and did just that with a 16-2 rout of William & Mary.
Sophomore right-hander Brady Bramlett returned to the mound for the rebels after missing the entire 2014 season with a torn labrum.
“I was just happy to be able to get back out on the field after not playing last year and having a good outing, especially when your offense scores as many runs as they did,” Bramlett said.
Bramlet went six innings, giving up two runs on four hits. He ran into trouble in the fifth inning giving up two runs, but after a mound visit from Bianco, Bramlett settled back in and gave two more good innings. Bramlett struck out six batters and appeared to be in control of all of his pitches.
The offense exploded for 16 runs on 18 hits. Highlighted by a third inning in which the Rebels put up a seven-spot, the offense came to life. Ten different players got a hit in game three with sophomore third-baseman Colby Bortles leading the way.
Bortles went 3 for 5 with 5 RBIs including the first home run of the season with a three run bomb in the seventh.
The Rebels improve to 2-1 on the year with the win. They return to action 4 p.m. Tuesday at home against Arkansas State.
