Ole Miss Run-Rules Charleston Southern, 12-2, to Earn Series Sweep
OXFORD, Miss. – The calendar still indicates it is winter, but Ole Miss got a jump on spring cleaning by pulling out the brooms to sweep Charleston Southern in the season-opening series.
The Rebels pounded out 12 hits en route to a 12-2 win over CSU in eight innings at Swayze Field Sunday. Drew McDaniel got the start for the Rebels and began his outing surrendering a solo home run to give the Bucs a 1-0 lead.
The Rebels would not let it go unanswered. Kevin Graham came up with two outs and a runner on first and notched his first hit of the season with a no-doubt home run to right field that gave Ole Miss a 2-1 lead.
Didn't trail for long…@kevgraham11 | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/MJK1Wt0x4H
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 20, 2022
Graham knows baseball is a grueling game and did not mind the early deficit.
“…That’s baseball,” Graham said.
“I’ve talked about it a lot with the younger guys. I think it’s the most important thing about being a good baseball hitter… you have to be able to wear. I wasn’t proud of how I handled the first two days, but it was good to get back out there today.”
Ole Miss OF Kevin Graham
With two outs in the top of the fourth, McDaniel’s day on the mound would come to an end. He finished the game giving one run on two hits, four strikeouts and two walks, and earned the win to move to 1-0.
McDaniel gave way to freshman Hunter Elliott.
“I’m proud of Drew, obviously, I don’t think today was his best stuff,” Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco said after the win.
“Velocity was down a little bit, I think at times he had some of his pitches and at times he didn’t. In the innings where they had some traffic on the bases he competed and got off the field.”
Coach Bianco on Drew McDaniel
In the bottom of the inning, Ben Van Cleve drove in the third Ole Miss run on a ground out to the shortstop, putting Ole Miss up 3-1.
The bottom of the fifth saw the Rebels bust the game open.
Kemp Alderman led off the inning with a double. Then Kevin Graham drove in two runs on a bases-loaded single up the middle, followed by a fielder’s choice RBI from Justin Bench. TJ McCants followed with an RBI double, increasing the Rebels lead to 7-1.
The Rebs weren’t finished yet, Calvin Harris added one more run with an RBI single to left field. One batter later, Kemp Alderman hit a ball off the batter’s eye in center field, and his 3-run home run put Ole Miss up 11-1.
Again, we repeat. Grown man strength from @KempAlderman! pic.twitter.com/ei2kBPsNcO
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 20, 2022
“Good contact. As soon as I hit it I knew it was gone.”
Kemp Alderman on his three-run homer
The game would end in the bottom of the eighth inning — due to the 10-run rule — on Knox Loposer’s bases-loaded single to center field that gave the Rebels a 12-2 victory.
Jack Dougherty pitched the final two innings of the ballgame where he struck out five of the six batters he faced without allowing any hits or runs.
Jack Dougherty mowing them down! pic.twitter.com/xhoI4nfhmz
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 20, 2022
“I was happy with the way it went,” Dougherty said.
“First one of the year, good to get that out of the way. With a defense like that behind me I really don’t have to worry about much but throwing strikes.”
Jack Dougherty on his first outing on the mound in 2022
Graham finished 2-3 with , Alderman and Calvin Harris each had two hits for the Rebels.
Next Up:
Ole Miss (3-0) will be in action again Tuesday when Arkansas State visits Oxford at 4 p.m.
(Feature image credit: Josh McCoy)
Nick Filipich
Nick Filipich was born and raised in Biloxi, MS. He is an Ole Miss alum with a degree in Sports and Recreation Administration. A sports junkie with a great passion for all things Ole Miss, Nick played baseball and football in high school — which is where he discovered his love for sports. He is an avid Braves and Saints fan, and in his free time enjoys spending time with family, friends and his black lab, Dixie.
