Live Baseball Blog: Ole Miss vs. TCU

It’s finally here! Ole Miss baseball opens the 2021 season in the State Farm College Baseball Showdown.  We will keep you updated on all the action today from Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX. Scroll down for updates and refresh as needed.

Here’s your opening day lineup for the Diamond Rebs:

Opening day lineup for the #RoadREBS! pic.twitter.com/nJZknbC4Hi

— Coach Mike Bianco (@CoachMikeBianco) February 20, 2021

BOX SCORE

FINAL SCORE: OLE MISS 7, TCU 3

Inning 9

Top of 9th

Due up for Ole Miss: 6-7-8. Sammons, Plumlee, Dunhurst. Hill back to the mound for TCU. He’s thrown 19 today. 

Sammons – Cade strikes out swinging.

Plumlee – JRP strikes out. Two down, nobody on for the Rebels. Ole Miss leads 6-3.

Dunhurst – The Ole Miss catcher singles to left field!

LaFleur – Trey LaFleur singles through the right side! Dunhurst goes to third. Rebels with runners on the corners and two outs. To the top of the order to Chatagnier now. #HottyToddy

Chatagnier – Peyton singles to left field and gets an RBI as Dunhurst scores! Rebels take a 7-3 lead.

On the failed pickoff attempt, throwing error by TCU. LaFleur gets to third. Rebels with runners on the corners and two outs.

Gonzalez – Jacob strikes out and we head to the bottom of the 9th.

Bottom of 9th

Due up for TCU: 3-4-5. Wolfe-Wood-Henry. Broadway has thrown 49 pitches as we begin the bottom of the 9th. 

Wolfe – Leadoff batter goes down swinging! One out in the 9th.

Wood – Cleanup batter Wood up next. He’s 1-4 today. He grounds out to Gonzalez to short. Two down!

Henry – goes down swinging to end the game! Rebels win!

End of 9th: Ole Miss 7, TCU 3

Inning 8

Top of 8th

Due up for Ole Miss: Elko, Graham, Bench (3-4-5). Hill back to the mound for the Horned Frogs. Rebels lead this one 6-3 going into 8th. 

Elko – Tim flies out to right field.

Graham – Kevin Graham lines out to left field. Two down for the Rebels.

Bench – strikes out swinging, out at first. TCU has runner on first and two outs. Ole Miss leads 6-3.

Bottom of 8th

Due up for TCU: 8-9-1. Shepherd, Boyers, Nunez. Broadway back to the mound for Ole Miss. He’s thrown 26 pitches as the 8th starts. 

Shepherd – Leadoff batter singles to center for TCU.

Boyers – Nine-hole hitter for the Horned Frogs goes down looking! One down, one on.

Nunez – reaches on a fielder’s choice. Shepherd is out at second. Two down, runner on first. Rebels lead 6-3.

Sacco – Flies out to Sammons in right field! To the 9th we go with the Rebels leading TCU, 6-3.

End of 8th Inning: Ole Miss 6, TCU 3

Inning 7

Top of 7th

Due up for Ole Miss: Leatherwood, Van Cleve, Dunhurst. Green back to the mound for TCU. He’s thrown 34 pitches today. 

Leatherwood – Leadoff batter Leatherwood goes down swinging.

Van Cleve – Ben singles to left center! Rebels with runner on and Dunhurst up next. John Rhys Plumlee on to pinch run for Van Cleve.

Dunhurst – Hayden reaches on a fielding error by the shortstop and Plumlee makes it to second! Ole Miss has runners on first and second with one out. #HottyToddy

LaFleur – Trey strikes out swinging. Rebels have runners on first and second with two outs. Back to the top of the order. Coach Bianco is out to talk to the umpire as it appeared LaFleur fouled the ball off. Video review underway. Review doesn’t go Rebels’ way and LaFleur is out. Ole Miss has two outs with runners on first and second. Chatagnier up next.

Pitching change for TCU. Hill on for Green. 

Chatagnier – Peyton doubles to center on a Texas Leaguer! Two runs score! Dunhurst scores, unearned. Plumlee scores. Ole Miss takes a 6-3 lead.

Gonzalez pops up to end the inning, but not before the Rebels score two more. Ole Miss leads TCU, 6-3.

Bottom of 7th

Due up for TCU: 5-6-7. Henry-Rodgers-Humphreys. Broadway back to the mound for the Rebels. Sammons goes to right field for Leatherwood. 

Henry – Leadoff batter Henry grounds out to Gonzalez. Outstanding play by the freshman shortstop. Hotty Toddy!

Rodgers – He grounds out to Gonzalez at short. Another great play by the Ole Miss shortstop.

Humphreys – Seven-hole hitter for TCU comes up with two outs and nobody on. He goes down swinging!

Three up, three down for Broadway and to the 8th we go!

End of 7th Inning: Ole Miss 6, TCU 3

Inning 6

Top of 6th

Due up for Ole Miss: 3-4-5. Elko-Graham-Bench. Green back to mound for TCU. He begins the inning with 21 pitches. 

Elko – Captain Tim Elko lines out to left field.

Graham – Kevin Graham flies out to left. Two down, nobody on. Rebels lead 4-3.

Bench – Justin Bench flies out to left center. Rebels go down in order.

Bottom of 6th 

Due up for TCU: 9-1-2. Boyers-Nunez-Sacco. Drew McDaniel back to the mound for Ole Miss. Rebels lead 4-3. 

Boyers – Nine-hole hitter singles up the middle.

Nunez – draws a walk. TCU has runners on first and second with no outs. Ole Miss leads 4-3.

New pitcher: Broadway warming up in the Ole Miss bullpen. He replaces Drew McDaniel on the mound for the Rebels. 

Sacco – Two-hole hitter Sacco will face new Ole Miss pitcher Taylor Broadway. Sacco grounds out to th pitcher on the SAC. Nunez to second and Boyers to third.

Wolfe – Wolfe comes to the plate with two RISP. Broadway strikes him out swinging! #HYDR TCU has runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs. Cleanup batter Wood up next.

Wood – Wood is hit by pitch and TCU has bases loaded with two outs. Rebels lead 4-3. Coach Bianco is saying Wood leaned into the pitch and was hit. The play is now under review.

After the review, the umpires uphold Bianco’s challenge and say that Wood did not get out of the way. It is ruled a strike and that’s strike three for Wood. That’s the end of the inning!!

End of 6th Inning: Ole Miss 4, TCU 3 

Inning 5

Top of 5th

Due up for Ole Miss: 9-1-2 a.k.a. LaFleur, Chatagnier, Gonzalez. Green back out to the mound for TCU. He begins the inning with a pitch count of 8. 

LaFleur – Trey goes down swinging for the first out of the fifth inning.

Chatagnier – We go to the top of the order with Chatagnier up to bat. He goes down swinging. Rebels have two outs, nobody on base, but lead 4-3.

Gonzalez – Jacob singles to center! Rebels have runner on first with two outs. That’s Jacob’s first hit as a Rebel. Elko up to bat next.

Elko – Gonzalez caught stealing, out at second (p to 1b to ss).

Bottom of 5th

Due up for TCU: 4-5-6, Wood-Henry-Rodgers. Kimbrell back to the mound for Ole Miss. His pitch count is 39. Ole Miss leads 4-3.

Wood – The four-hole hitter Wood hits through the right side for a leadoff single.

New pitcher for the Rebels: Drew McDaniel takes the mound for Jackson Kimbrell. McDaniel is third pitcher for the Rebs today. 

Henry – He goes down swinging via Ole Miss pitcher Drew McDaniel! One out, runner on first for TCU.

Rodgers – Six-hole hitter Rodgers is up next. He’s walked twice today. Rodgers singles through the left side. Wood goes to second. Runners on first and second for TCU with one out.

Humphreys – Infield fly to 3b. TCU with two outs, runners on first and second.

Shepherd – 8-hole hitter Shepherd up next. Bench catches Shepherd’s fly to deep, deep center to end the fifth inning.

End of 5th inning: Ole Miss 4, TCU 3

Inning 4

Top of 4th

Due up for Ole Miss: Leatherwood, Van Cleve, Dunhurst. New pitcher for TCU: Haylen Green for Johnny Ray.

Leatherwood – Leatherwood strikes out swinging.

Van Cleve – Ben grounds out. Two outs for the Rebels.

Dunhurst – lines out to the pitcher. Three up, three down for Ole Miss. Rebels lead 4-3 as we head to B4.

Bottom of 4th

Due up for TCU: 8-9-1 hitters, Sheperd, Boyers, Nunez. Kimbrell back on the mound for the Rebels.

Shepherd – Shepherd grounds out to second.

Boyers – Boyers strikes out but makes it safely to first on a wild pitch. Bianco is asking for clarification from umpire as he doesn’t believe Boyers swung. If he didn’t swing, it’s just a ball. If he swung, he takes first. After video review, umpire says he swung. Boyers to first base.

Nunez – Top of the order up to bat. TCU has runner at first with one out. Nunez flies out to center! Two down.

Sacco – Two-hole hitter Sacco up next. Rebels lead 4-3. TCU with runner on first and two outs as Sacco steps up to bat. Sacco singles through the left side. Boyers to third. Runners on corners for TCU with two outs.

Wolfe – reachers on fielder’s choice. Sacco out at second to end the 4th inning.

End of 4th Inning: Ole Miss 4, TCU 3

Inning 3

Top of 3rd

Due up for Ole Miss: Gonzalez, Elko Graham. Johnny Ray still on the mound for TCU.

Jacob Gonzalez – Jacob grounds out to second. One out. Tim Elko up to bat next. Rebels lead 4-3.

Tim Elko – Tim singles to right field! Rebels have one on, one out with a 4-3 lead. #HYDR

Kevin Graham – Elko steals second on a wild pitch. Elko draws the one-out walk. Rebels have runners on first and second.

Justin Bench – Justin grounds into a double play.

Middle of 3rd: Ole Miss leads 4-3

Bottom of 3rd

Due up for TCU: 5-6-7. That would be Henry, Rodgers, Humphreys. Kimbrell on the mound for the Rebels.

Henry goes down swinging! One out for the Horned Frogs. Ole Miss leads 4-3.  #HottyToddy

Rodgers draws a walk. Frogs with runner on with one out.

Hayden Dunhurst with the pickoff of the runner!

Humphreys – goes down swinging. Three up, three down for Kimbrell and the Rebels!

End of 3rd Inning: Ole Miss 4, TCU 3

Inning 2

Top of 2nd

Due up for Ole Miss: Justin Bench, Kevin Graham, Hayden Leatherwood.

Graham – Kevin Graham draws a leadoff walk on four straight pitches.

Bench – Justin Bench is hit by pitch. Graham goes to second. Rebels have runners at first and second with no outs. #HYDR

Leatherwood – Facing a full count, Hayden Leatherwood is walked! Rebels have bases loaded and no outs.

Van Cleve – Ben Van Cleve DOUBLES TO CENTER! Rebels score Bench and Graham! Ole Miss leads 2-0. No outs!

Dunhurst – Hayden Dunhurst singles to right field! RBI single for Hayden as Leatherwood scores. Nobody out! Rebels lead 3-0 with runners at the corners.

LaFleur – Trey grounds into a double play but the run scores. Ole Miss leads TCU 4-0! Two outs and top of the order coming up. #HYDR

Chatagnier – Peyton strikes out to end the top half of second. Rebels lead 4-0!

After two innings, TCU pitcher Johnny Ray has thrown 46 pitches.

Bottom of 2nd:

Due up for TCU will be 5-6-7: Henry, Rodgers, Humphreys

Henry – The five-hole hitter Henry gets a leadoff double to left field.

Rodgers – draws a walk. TCU with two on and no outs. Rebels lead 4-0.

Humphreys – lines out to Gonzalez at short. TCU has runners on first and second with one out.

Shepard – Flies out to Justin Bench in center. Two outs. TCU with runners on first and second. Rebels lead 4-0.

Boyers – 9-hole hitter Boyers singles to third. Bases loaded for TCU.

Nunez – Back to the top of the order. Nunez draws the walk. Henry scores. 4-1 lead for Ole Miss. TCU has bases loaded with two outs.

Sacco – Draws the walk and Rogers scores. Rebels lead 4-2. TCU has bases loaded and two outs.

Wolfe – Three-hole hitter Wolfe is up to bat now. Rebels send some pitchers to the pen. Wolfe draws a walk and another run walks in. Rebels lead 4-3. Bases loaded, two outs.

NEW OLE MISS PITCHER: Rebels send Jackson Kimbrell to the mound for Nikhazy. He inherits bases loaded. Two outs. Ole Miss leads 4-3.

Wood – Cleanup hitter Wood is up to bat for TCU. Bases loaded, two outs. Kimbrell gets Wood to go down swinging!

Dunhurst picks off the runner! Nobody on for TCU.

End of 2nd Inning: OLE MISS 4, TCU 3

Inning 1

Ole Miss is the visiting team in today’s game.

Due up for the Rebels n the top half of the inning will be Chatagnier, Gonzalez and Elko.

On the mound for TCU will be the Horned Frogs’ ace, Johnny Ray. He’s a third-year, right-hander who finished 2020 with a 2.53 ERA with 21 strikeouts and eight walks in 21.1 innings.

Top of 1st:

Peyton Chatagnier with a checked-swing strikeout. 1-3 put out.

Jacob Gonzalez strikes out swinging. Two outs for the Rebels.

Tim Elko strikes out swinging on a 97-mph pitch from Ray and to the bottom of the first we go.

Bottom of 1st: 

Ole Miss will start Doug Nikhazy on the mound. The junior left-hander is a preseason All-America honoree as named by both Perfect Game and Collegiate Baseball. He’s also on the watch list for the Golden Spikes Award that honors the nation’s top collegiate baseball player. In 2020, Doug finished with a 2.35 ERA and a 0.782 WHIP.

Due up for TCU: Nunez, Sacco, Wolfe

Nunez goes down swinging. Way to go, Doug! One down.

Sacco – On a 3-2 count, Nikhazy gets Sacco to go down swinging. HYDR! Two down.

Wolfe – Gets a two-out, standup double down the left line.

Wood – Doug Nikhazy gets Wood to go down swinging!

End of First Inning: Ole Miss 0, TCU 0