Mississippi Kyle Watson (9) runs out a ball put in play against Arkansas Pine Bluff in Oxford, Miss., Wednesday, March 18, 2015. (DM Photo | Payton Teffner)
The Ole Miss Rebels won in walk-off fashion on Wednesday by beating Arkansas-Pine Bluff by a score of 7-6.
It wasn’t the Rebels’ best game, as they trailed 6-4 going into the 9th inning before erasing the deficit with three runs in the ninth.
The victory for Ole Miss was the second ninth-inning comeback in the last three games. The Rebels move to 11-9 overall on the season with the win.
“It obviously wasn’t our best game, but I am proud of the way we hung in there and competed and put a lot of good at bats together at the end” Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said.
Junior outfielder Cameron Dishon led off the 9th with a single, followed by a double by freshman infielder Kyle Watson that put runners on 2nd and 3rd for freshman infielder Will Golsan. Golsan then singled to right, tying the game at 6 runs apiece.
After senior first baseman Sikes Orvis forced a walk, freshman infielder Tate Blackman was responsible for the heroics as he hit a line drive that fell in the gap in left-center and scored Golsan, giving the Rebels the win.
“I was trying to elevate the ball,” Blackman said. “When it came off of the bat, I knew it was in the gap. It was a great feeling.”
Blackman led the charge offensively, going 3-for-5 from the plate with three RBIs, including the game winner. Watson and Golsan also had two hits each on the day.
The freshmen trio of Blackman, Watson and Golsan combined for seven of the Rebels’ 10 hits on the day and showed what good, young talent this team has and can develop in the future. The freshmen came through in clutch moments today, and Bianco could not have been more proud of them.
“Our heroes were the freshmen today,” Bianco said. “Watson, Golsan and Tate (Blackman) all came through for us.”
Orvis hit a home run for the second straight game, his fifth home run on the season, by blasting a solo shot in the bottom of the 7th inning.
Sophomore left-hander Evan Anderson was the starter on the mound for the Rebels. In his longest outing of the year, Anderson allowed three earned runs and one un-earned run in 6.1 innings of work. The Rebels had three errors in the field and misplayed two bunts that eventually led to runs for Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
“We killed (Anderson) in the field,” Bianco said. “We didn’t field two bunts and missed another line drive, giving them too many opportunities.”
Ole Miss returns to action Friday night against top-ranked Florida at Swayze Field. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m.
