Ole Miss won its fourth game in a row on Wednesday night, Feb. 28, as they beat the Missouri State Bears 12-3. A total team performance that was punctuated by the Rebel bats staying hot propelled the team to a 2-0 midweek record.
The Rebels started behind in their second game in two days. The Bears scored two runs in the top of the second inning to pull ahead early. A run off a wild pitch, followed by an RBI double, put Ole Miss in the hole.
However, the Rebel offense would not keep quiet for long. Ole Miss scored four runs in the third inning to give them a 4-2 lead. A pair of two-run doubles hit by infielders Jackson Ross and Ethan Lege in the bottom half of the inning gave the Rebels their first lead of the evening.
The Rebels’ pitching staff had a remarkable day, too. As a whole, Rebel arms struck out 13 batters on the night; pitchers Mason Nichols and Austin Simmons lead the way with three strikeouts each. The two-sport star Simmons allowed just one hit and one unearned run in two innings of work, displaying a great mix of pitches with good velocity.
Right-handed pitcher Cole Tolbert came into the game during a crucial moment, with the bases loaded for Missouri State in a two-run game. With a 3-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio a year ago, Tolbert got the Bears’ leadoff hitter Jake McCutcheon to strike out on three pitches.
Notable performances: Treyson Hughes and Brayden Randle
Outfielder Treyson Hughes came into the game on a slow start. A .351 career hitter at Mercer University, Hughes was touted as a shining addition to the Rebel team. This game was proof of that, as he went 3-5 with two RBIs on the night.
Freshman shortstop Brayden Randle was a starter, and he did not disappoint, as he went 2-4 with a triple and a walk. With infielder Luke Hill winning the starting spot for most games, this was a great chance for Randle to show what he brings to the table for this program.
Shining moment: Ross’ hot streak continues
Ross was named D1 Baseball’s Player of the Week over the past week. Ross, a transfer from Florida Atlantic University, had eight hits, four homers and a whopping 11 RBIs last week. He showed no signs of slowing down, as his two-RBI double ripped down the left-field line tied the game at 2-2 in the third inning. Ross went 1-4 on the night with one walk.
Up next: The University of Iowa
Ole Miss will host the Iowa Hawkeyes this weekend, March 1-3, at Swayze Field. Earlier this week, it was announced that the weekend rotation would see a change, as pitcher Gunnar Dennis will get the Friday night start followed by pitchers JT Quinn and Grayson Saunier on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
