Tanner Mathis reacts from second base during a game earlier this season. / Tyler Jackson
JONESBORO, Ark. – The Rebels turned in an efficient offense on Tuesday night and picked up the 20th win in non-conference play as No. 16 Ole Miss (30-12) defeated Arkansas State (22-19) on the road by a score of 11-1.
The 11 runs came on 11 hits as the Rebels tallied three doubles and a triple and jumped out to a five-run lead in the first inning on the way to the win.
Brady Bramlett (5-1) picked up the win for the Rebe ++ls in a relief appearance, entering the game in the fifth inning and working 2.0 scoreless innings with a strikeout. Starter Josh Laxer was efficient in the start, allowing one run on four hits with three strikeouts, but left the game after 4.0 innings of work.
David Owen (1-1) took the loss for the Red Wolves, allowing five runs on four hits with two walks and two hits batters in 2.0 innings of work.
“It was nice to come out tonight and really turn in a sharp game in all phases of the game,” said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. “We really got off some good swings tonight, the pitchers pitched well and the defense made some tremendous plays. Josh Laxer was good in the start and the guys out of the bullpen all pitched well. We had some great plays defensively to get us out of a couple of jams.”
The Rebels got on the board in the first when Stuart Turner delivered a sac fly to center that scored Auston Bousfield from third. Bousfield reached on a fielder’s choice and moved to third on a single through the right side from Austin Anderson to set up the score on the Turner fly ball. Anderson advanced to second on the play.
Andrew Mistone delivered a single to right to drive in Anderson and put the Rebels up 2-0 before a single from Sikes Orvis and walk of Will Allen would load the bases. Christian Helsel then drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home a third run and keep the bases juiced.
Will Jamison then delivered a double up the middle to bring home both Allen and Orvis to give the Rebels the 5-0 lead after the top of the first.
Ole Miss built on the lead in the fourth with two more runs off a groundout from Anderson and a double to right center from Turner. Mathis singled through the left side and Bousfield lay down a bunt single that led to a throwing error to put both men in scoring position with one out before Anderson and Turner brought them home to take the 7-0 lead.
Arkansas State got on the board in the bottom of the inning with back-to-back doubles from Ryan Emery and Claude Johnson. The Rebels then got out of the inning with a double play as Laxer struck out the batter and Will Allen threw out the base stealer at third with Ole Miss on top 7-1.
The Rebels added an eighth run in the seventh inning when Auston Bousfield scored on a ground ball to short from Holt Perdzock to make it 8-1 in favor of Ole Miss.
Three more runs came home in the eighth inning on a two-RBI triple from Bousfield and a double from pinch-hitter Jake Overbey to take the lead out to 11-1.
The Rebels held the Red Wolves off the board down the stretch, escaping a jam in the ninth after the first two batters reached by turning a double play and a getting a ground ball to second to end the game with the 10-run win.
Ole Miss will return to action on Thursday night, hosting No. 24 Kentucky in the first game of a three-game series at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU. Friday’s contest is set for a 6:30 p.m. start and the series finale on Saturday is set for a 2:15 p.m. start.
Josh Laxer releases a pitch during a game earlier this season. / Tyler Jackson
