Ole Miss falls, 19-5, at Auburn; Rubber Game Set for Saturday

Auburn, Ala. —  As the old saying goes, ‘revenge is a dish best served cold.’ Such was the case as Auburn rebounded from a 13-6 throttling at the hands of Ole Miss Thursday to defeat the Rebels, 19-5, in game two of the series Friday night on the Plains. 

The Tigers took advantage of four early hits and four walks off starter Derek Diamond to score five runs in 3.1 innings of work. He records his first loss of the season and moves to 3-1. 

There was no let up from the Auburn offense when Mason Nichols entered the game from the Rebel bullpen. Three runs were scored from two hits and one walk in 1.2 innings with Nichols on the mound. The eight runs would have been enough, but the Tigers were not done, plating 11 more to score a season-high 19 total runs in the game.

Offensively, hits and runs were tough to come by for Ole Miss in game two. 

The Rebs scattered four hits and plated three runs.  The best opportunity for scoring was in the sixth when Tim Elko singled home Hayden Leatherwood and Reagan Burford; however, Ole Miss left two runners on to end the inning.  

Through the entirety of the game, Ole Miss stranded 11 runners.

Right fielder T.J. McCants and center fielder Justin Bench were the lone Rebels with a multiple-hit game, as each went 2-for-4.

Left fielder Kemp Alderman notched a home run, pounding a pitch into the roof of one of the Auburn baseball facilities over the right field fence.

Next Up for the Rebels

The rubber game of the first SEC series of the season is slated for 2:00 p.m. Saturday at Plainsman Park. 

Sophomore Jack Dougherty (3-1, 4.70 ERA) will start for Ole Miss and Auburn will go with junior righty Trace Bright (2-0, 1.17 ERA).  With a weather forecast of sunny and 63, it will be a great day for the Rebels to take two of three and return to Oxford on a high note.

Hotty Toddy!