Behind Hunter Elliott’s career night, Ole Miss takes series from Missouri with 8-1 win in game two
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss baseball defeated Missouri, 8-1, in game two of the series Saturday night at Swayze. The win gives the Rebels their first home SEC series win of the season.
Ole Miss moves to 26-19 overall and 9-14 in league play. Missouri falls to 25-19 overall, 7-16 in SEC action.
The Rebels’ starting pitcher, Hunter Elliott, began the game by inducing Mizzou’s leadoff hitter to ground out. The next batter, however, would double down the right field line before Elliott then issued a walk that gave the Tigers runners on first and second with one out.
Torin Montgomery would plate the first run of the game with a single through the right side, scoring the runner from second base. Elliott was able to get out of the inning by striking out the last two, and Ole Miss trailed by just one, 1-0.
That would be the only run of the game the Rebels would allow.
“I just competed,” Elliott said after the game.
“Velo was down a little bit. Stuff was down a little bit. But I relied on the changeup throughout the game and that’s what saved me today.”
Ole Miss pitcher Hunter Elliott
Justin Bench soon got the bottom of the first started with a leadoff double to right field. Jacob Gonzalez would tie the game, 1-1, with a single up the middle that scored Bench from second base.
Tied ballgame! pic.twitter.com/kwXvBn4wBr
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 7, 2022
A ground out from Tim Elko advanced Gonzalez to third. Then, with the Mizzou infield playing in, Kevin Graham hit grounder to the Tigers’ second baseman who would nab Gonzalez at the plate for the second out of the inning.
Elliott continued to dominate the Tigers on the mound as he notched nine strikeouts on the night. Here’s a three-pitch strikeout in the fourth inning.
The kid brought his best stuff. pic.twitter.com/FpSDRc27yO
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 8, 2022
Back-to-back singles from Graham and Kemp Alderman in the home portion of the fourth set up a sacrifice bunt from TJ McCants, putting runners on second and third with one out.
A double into left center field from Hayden Leatherwood scored Graham and Alderman, giving Ole Miss a 3-1 advantage.
Woody puts the Rebs in front!@HLeatherwood9 | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/1eHpEqODEC
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 8, 2022
Holding that 3-1 lead going into the bottom of the fifth, Bench and Gonzalez would begin the frame with consecutive singles.
Tim Elko then hit a deep fly ball to center field advancing the runners up a base. Kevin Graham would follow with a fly ball to center field, allowing Bench to tag from third.
Alderman would keep things rolling with a single to right field that would score Gonzalez from second, putting Ole Miss ahead by a score of 5-1.
Best way to make a grilled cheese?
Easy, K̶r̶a̶f̶t̶ Kemp singles pic.twitter.com/XoIoE65S5Y
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 8, 2022
Elko led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a walk, followed by a Graham single to right field. Graham advanced to second on the throw attempt to third, where Elko was safe.
Alderman would drive in a run on a sac fly to center field, and then McCants added another run on a fielder’s choice. He stole second and third before Peyton Chatagnier’s single to center field scored McCants, giving Ole Miss an 8-1 lead.
Anotha one. pic.twitter.com/sYhHgMp5kn
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 8, 2022
That is where the score would stay through the next inning-and-a-half as the Rebels clinched the series win.
On the mound
Elliott had a superb night on the mound for Ole Miss as he threw seven complete innings, only allowing four hits and one earned run while striking out nine. His seven innings pitched is a new career high as were his strikeouts.
That ties a career high in strikeouts for @elliotthunter10! https://t.co/0iHWmJLwG6
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 8, 2022
At the plate
The Ole Miss bats were hot as the Rebels notched 13 hits on the night, with five different Rebels tallying multiple hits in the game. Alderman went 2-3 with 2RBI, while Gonzalez went 2-5 (1 RBI), and Graham, Chatagnier and Bench each went 2-4.
“So many guys had good nights,” head coach Mike Bianco said.
“That’s more us. We’ve got to get those hits. We’ve got to get multiple hits. We haven’t been able to do that very often. But we’re good when we get them on.“
Coach Bianco on his team’s hitting
Next Up:
Ole Miss and Missouri are scheduled for game three of the series at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
(Feature image credit: Ole Miss Baseball)
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.
