Mississippi pitcher Evan Anderson prepares to pitch earlier this season. (File Photo | Marlee Crawford)
After being on the road for five straight games, the Diamond Rebels (10-9) return home for a six-game homestand beginning today at 3 p.m. against Arkansas Pine-Bluff (6-8).
The Rebels come into the homestand going 2-3 in their road contests last week, winning one game each against No. 8 Louisville and No. 1 LSU.
So far in the season, Ole Miss has played eight games against top-15 teams, holding a 3-5 record in those games. This game against Arkansas Pine-Bluff is the only matchup in the last nine games that the Rebels are not playing against a team ranked in the top 10 in the country. The game today will be one of seven match-ups against a team from the state of Arkansas this season.
Sophomore left-hander Evan Anderson is expected to take the mound for the Rebels. This will be the fourth-straight week he makes a midweek start. Anderson holds a 1-2 record on the season with a 7.00 ERA. In his one win this season, Anderson gave up just one run on two hits over five innings against Arkansas State. Anderson started in a matchup against Arkansas Pine-Bluff last season, where he picked up the win.
Senior first baseman Sikes Orvis lit it up against LSU over the weekend. Orvis came through in the clutch in the 14-inning win on Saturday with the game-winning RBI double to take the victory 5-3. In the win, Orvis had three of the seven hits for the team. On Sunday, Orvis launched a three-run homer that traveled over 430 feet that cleared the wall in right field at Alex Box Stadium. Orvis will need to continue to produce like he has recently in order for the Rebels to succeed today and against Florida this weekend.
Arkansas Pine-Bluff enters the matchup against Ole Miss with a 6-8 overall record after they split a pair against Southern over the weekend. Earlier in the season, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff defeated Mississippi State 3-2 and gave Mississippi State their first loss of the season.
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff’s Golden Lions are led by junior do-it-all player Andrew Davis. Davis hits a team-best .333 from the plate and holds a 1.69 ERA with a 6-6 record as a left-hander. Davis leads the Golden Lions in almost every statistical category in hitting. Davis also was the starting pitcher in the win over Mississippi State.
Ole Miss and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff are set to face off for the fifth time in the history of both programs. The Rebels look to pick up a key midweek win going into a big SEC home series this weekend against Florida.
