Big-time programs need big-time wins, and Ole Miss baseball will have a golden opportunity during this upcoming weekend series to snag a major win against a top team.
The No. 2 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks are coming to Swayze Field this weekend for the first time in three years, and the series will be especially exciting due to the current state of each team. Arkansas and Ole Miss are tied 7-2 in SEC play, hitting a .285 and .280. Both went 3-0 in the Texas Tournament, and have stayed in the top-5 since the beginning of the season. This series will prove who is king of the SEC West, and it will determine which fans have the bragging rights.
I was asked last week what part of the game makes Ole Miss so successful. Is it the plethora of fantastic pitching? Or does head coach Mike Bianco rely heavily on the hitting? I think it’s a little bit of both. Rebels pitching has been fantastic this year, and actually, it was the reason for a lot of wins. The earned run average for pitchers this season is 3.54, including SEC games.
While it’s still early in the season, early is a great place to be. It’s possible that it could change, but the weekend series rotation has been very disruptive so far this season. Juniors Gunnar Hoglund and Doug Nikhazy and sophomore Derek Diamond look to be the trio moving forward after a few injuries in this season that changed things up. Arkansas hits a .280 with six players hitting over a .300 on the season. In order to win the series, the Razorback batters have to be contained.
While the pitching is crucial, you can’t win a game without at least one hit. The Rebels have won 22 games so far this year — with 14 of those wins coming from three runs or more than their opponent. Senior Tim Elko has been a key piece for the team and easily the most dominant hitter for the Rebels this season. Unfortunately, Tim Elko tore his ACL in a midweek game against North Alabama, and it is still unclear whether Elko will return this season.
Ole Miss will be desperate for another leader in the lineup to take charge, as well as bring in a few RBI’s.
I’ll go ahead and say it. It’s going to be difficult to beat Arkansas this weekend. Although,there are some advantages to playing the Razorbacks a little bit early on in the stretch of SEC games. The Razorbacks have not played in front of a full capacity crowd in over a year, and Ole Miss is sure to be packed each day of this series.
With a win over Arkansas, a victory would put the Rebels at a very good spot in the SEC West, and would be a huge confidence builder for the remainder of the season. The Rebels have two back-to-back rivalry series matchups coming up, and they’re going to need the confidence.
I say the Rebels will do it. They win the series but lose a close game. It’s going to be a tough matchup, but it is sure to cause some stress and excitement.
