Austin Knight runs to first base after batting at the Mississippi baseball game Thursday April 15 (DM Photo | Kayla Beatty)
Game 1: Ole Miss 10, Alabama 2
After weather postponed Friday night’s game, Ole Miss took game one of the three-game series against Alabama by a score of 10-2 Saturday afternoon.
The Rebels pounded out 10 runs on 17 hits. They were led by junior outfielder Connor Cloyd, who set a career-high in hits with four on the night. Sophomore third baseman Colby Bortles also had a career high with five RBIs. The duo have batted well in recent weeks and have provided a spark for the Ole Miss offense.
“I swung it well today,” Bortles said. “As a hitter with the wind blowing out, I wanted to get a ball in the air and see if it could fly, and I did that. I saw some pitches up, and I drove them.”
Five Ole Miss hitters recorded multi-hit games as they got the offense going early by scoring in five of the first six frames.
The Rebels got two in the first after each of the first four batters reached base safely. Freshman second baseman Will Golsan opened up the scoring with a hit-and-run play that scored Cloyd from second base. Bortles followed with an RBI single, giving Ole Miss a 2-0 lead after one inning.
The Rebels and Crimson Tide traded runs in the second and third innings, making it a 3-1 game before Ole Miss broke the game open by scoring seven runs over the next three innings. The Rebels tallied three in the fourth on a towering three-run home run by Bortles, giving Ole Miss a 6-1 lead followed by two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings.
“All this week, we have swung it better and collectively through the lineup,” Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said. “There were some good days for a lot of people, especially Cam (Dishon), who started 4-for-4, and the last ball he hit, he lined out to (Georgie Salem), who made a diving play in center field. And Bortles continues to swing a hot bat and has been huge for us.”
Coming off of back-to-back losses for the first time in his career, junior left-hander Christian Trent rebounded in a big way for Ole Miss. Trent went eight innings, giving up two runs on six hits to earn the win.
“Early on, we made some spectacular defensive plays that either kept us even or allowed us to take a lead,” Bianco said. “Watson had an assist in the second inning, and, then later that inning, they hit a home run, which would have made it 2-2. Errol (Robinson) made two great plays in the first inning. There were a lot of good defensive plays to make it a little easier on (Christian) Trent.”
Game 2: Ole Miss 4, Alabama 0
Ole Miss kept their momentum going in game two of a weather-prompted doubleheader on Saturday with a 4-0 win, securing the series over the Crimson Tide.
It was a pitcher’s duel in the second game, as neither team was able to score a run until Ole Miss broke through in the fifth inning. The Rebels scored on three consecutive singles by sophomore designated-hitter Tate Blackman, junior right-fielder Cameron Dishon and junior left-fielder Connor Cloyd. Cloyd’s RBI single plated Blackman, giving Ole Miss a 1-0 lead.
Sophomore right-hander Brady Bramlett was on the mound for Ole Miss in game two and put together a dominant outing. Bramlett went 7.1 innings without allowing a run and gave up four hits with nine strikeouts. Bramlett outlasted freshman right-hander Jake Walters for Alabama, who also put together a solid outing, going seven innings, allowing just the one run on six hits and four walks.
“He was really good with his fastball command,” senior catcher Austin Knight said of Bramlett. “He was spotting-up literally every fastball, and they were having trouble doing anything with it. He was terrific tonight.”
“When he can really locate the fast ball on both sides of the plate, he is just so tough,” Bianco said.
Senior right-hander Scott Weathersby came in relief of Bramlett in the seventh as the Rebels clung to a 1-0 lead. Weathersby was solid as well and kept the Crimson Tide off of the scoreboard over the final 2.2 innings.
Ole Miss added three insurance runs in the eighth inning on two home runs from senior first-baseman Sikes Orvis and Austin Knight.
Orvis launched his team-leading ninth home run to right field, this one a two-run shot to right field giving Ole Miss a 3-0 lead.
“Sikes (Orvis) put the nail in the coffin,” Bramlett said. “When I came out and Scott came in behind me, I knew we were going to win. I have all the confidence in the world in Scott, but it helps when your Big Puma (Orvis) puts some runs on the board.”
Knight followed up two batters later with a solo home run to left field making it a 4-0 game going into the ninth inning. It was Knight’s first career home run.
Weathersby pitched a scoreless ninth, which secured the win and the series for Ole Miss.
Game 3: Alabama 13, Ole Miss 4
Ole Miss fell behind early and could not get enough offense together to attempt a come-back and complete the sweep as Alabama cruised to a 13-4 win in game three.
Freshman right-hander Will Stokes took the ball in game three for Ole Miss and struggled. Stokes lasted just a third of an inning and was pulled after a two-run home run made it 4-0, giving Alabama the early advantage. Junior right-hander Jacob Waguespack came on in relief of Stokes and got the Rebels out of the inning.
“He just never got out of the gate. He hit the first guy and ran two 3-0 counts and just wasn’t ready to go,” Bianco said of Stokes.
Waguespack pitched three innings of relief allowing just one run on four hits and kept the Rebels within striking distance over the course of his outing.
“I’m just trying to stay consistent,” Waguespack said. “I’m trying to do a little bit better and keep building on each start.”
Ole Miss responded in the second after Knight hit a two-run homer to left field that made it a 4-2 game. It was Knight’s second career home run as well has his second in as many days.
“It’s more about sticking to an approach more so than anything,” Knight said of his performance from this past weekend. “When you see the pitch you’re looking for, just hitting it and not missing it.”
Alabama got one back in the fourth before Ole Miss answered with a solo home run by sophomore center-fielder J.B. Woodman in the fifth, making it a 5-3 game. It was Woodman’s sixth home run of the year.
Alabama scored one run in the sixth before taking control of the game with a six-run seventh inning that saw them take a 12-3 lead over the Rebels. The Crimson Tide received three two-out hits in the inning and had seven two-out hits in the game, including five two-out RBIs.
Ole Miss added one run in the eighth, and Alabama responded with a solo home run in the ninth and salvaged the final game of the series with a 13-4 win.
With this loss, Ole Miss falls to 23-22, 10-11 in SEC play. The Rebels return to action on Tuesday against Mississippi State at Trustmark Park in Pearl.
First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
