Gamer: Saunier Shines, Offense Executes as Ole Miss Run-Rules Delaware in Game Two

Oxford, Miss. – Game two of the 2023 baseball season took place on a beautiful Saturday afternoon as Ole Miss won its second straight contest to start the year, 10-0, over the Delaware Blue Hens. Freshman hurler Grayson Saunier earned his first career win as Ole Miss run-ruled the Blue Hens to improve to 2-0.

Quick Start

Saunier, the talented freshman out of Collierville High School about an hour and a half north of Oxford, was sensational in his first collegiate inning. He got the Blue Hens to go down 1-2-3, opening the frame with his first career strikeout.

That's how you start your college career! @GraysonSaunier fans the first batter he faces. pic.twitter.com/xxAwJzSjRC

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 18, 2023

Saunier would get another strikeout and pop out to end the frame.

Mid 1 | @GraysonSaunier strikes out two Blue Hens in a 1-2-3 debut inning!

Ole Miss 0, Delaware 0 pic.twitter.com/uXK1jEGkRI

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 18, 2023

On the offensive

The Rebels’ offense would waste no time giving Grayson some run support. Ethan Groff led things off with a walk. Jacob Gonzales would follow with a strikeout, but the ball would hit the dirt allowing Groff to advance to second base.

Kemp Alderman followed with a walk. Calvin Harris would then hit a high fly ball to left. Blue Hens left fielder Aidan Kane lost the ball in the sun and it dropped in front of the fence, scoring Groff.

Thanks, sun! @Calvin_Harris33 gets the Rebs on the board. pic.twitter.com/5z9w0AVzLp

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 18, 2023

Another wild pitch would allow Harris and Alderman to each move up a base, followed by an Ethan Lege sacrifice fly to score Alderman, making it 2-0 Rebels.

Anthony Calarco would then single to score Harris and the Rebels would take a 3-0 lead into the second inning.

End 1 | Rebs plate three runs in the first.

Ole Miss 3, Delaware 0 pic.twitter.com/2P4x1wFIum

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 18, 2023

Saunier would issue a leadoff walk in the second, but then get a strikeout, fly out and groundout to end the frame for the Blue Hens.

Chasing A Hen

The Rebels made quick work of Delaware starter Nate Rolka, chasing him from the game in the second inning after a Peyton Chatagnier walk, Groff fielder’s choice, Jacob Gonzalez’ RBI single, and Kemp Alderman’s walk.

.@jakegonzalez717 drives home @ethangroff12 to bring us up to four runs! pic.twitter.com/8pZya1sUdQ

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 18, 2023

Rolka’s final line was 2.2 innings, three hits and four runs on 60 pitches. He was replaced by sophomore lefty Carter Welch. Welch would induce a pop out to end the inning with the Rebels up by four headed to the third.

Calm, Cool, Collected

In the Delaware half of the third inning, Saunier faced a jam for the first time, allowing two walks to give the Blue Hens runners at first and second, the first time they had a runner in scoring position all game.

Saunier would induce a fly out, however, to end the threat and get through three with five strikeouts and no hits allowed.

Mid 3 | @GraysonSaunier sits down 2 batters and has 5 Ks through 3.

Ole Miss 4, Delaware 0 pic.twitter.com/GIXPB7gEHp

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 18, 2023

Saunier would again face trouble in the fourth. Delaware would work a walk following a groundout and then get a bloop single into shallow left to get two on with just one out.

The young pitcher would recover yet again, getting a hard hit line drive to center for the second out and a fly out to Kemp Alderman in shallow left to get out of trouble.

Mid 4 | @GraysonSaunier strands 2 to end the top half of the fourth.

Ole Miss 4, Delaware 0 pic.twitter.com/3MvKSJmGC2

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 18, 2023

The fourth would prove to be Saunier’s last, finishing his day with four complete, allowing just one hit, four walks and no runs on 67 pitches.

Saunier talked about the excitement of his first official outing in front of the Swayze faithful.

Freshman pitcher Grayson Saunier

The freshman hurler also talked about building his confidence after getting out of some jams late in this one.

Grayson Saunier

Freshman hurler Sam Tookoian would come on to replace him, making his Ole Miss debut. Tookoian would impress, striking out two and giving up just one hit in the frame, keeping the Rebels up by four heading to the home half of the fifth.

Mid 5 | @STookoian gets his first career strikeout in an Ole Miss uniform.

Ole Miss 4, Delaware 0 pic.twitter.com/tu1w8BWbNp

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 18, 2023

Putting The ‘Relief’ in Relief Pitching

Tookoian would face some pressure in the sixth, as Delaware would get a leadoff double and then work a walk, putting two on with nobody out. Tookoian would then get a fly out to McCants and a strikeout looking for two huge outs. That would end his outing, and Jackson Kimbrell would come to the mound for the first time in 2023.

Kimbrell would walk the one batter he faced, and that would set the stage for Jack Dougherty. Affectionately known around Oxford as ‘JFD’ or ‘Jack Freakin Dougherty’, the fan favorite came in and quickly struck out Brett Lesher, leaving the bases loaded and keeping Delaware off the board.

JACK DOUGHERTY. pic.twitter.com/jU9n11EMfs

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 18, 2023

Baserunning Breeds Runs

Ole Miss has not been afraid to try and steal bags in this series so far, and game two was no exception. And in the sixth inning, it paid off as Chatagnier stole second following a two-out single. He was promptly brought around by an Ethan Groff single to extend the Ole Miss lead to 5-0.

End 6 | @ethangroff12 singles home @peytonchat5 to stretch the Rebel lead.

Ole Miss 5, Delaware 0 pic.twitter.com/jKzJ5IeIad

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 18, 2023

First At Bat? No Problem

With the Rebels leading 5-0 in the seventh, freshman Judd Utermark would get his first at-bat as a Rebel. After Will Furniss hit a bomb in his first collegiate at bat Friday night, Utermark wouldn’t let him be the only one.

With two runners on base, Utermark blasted a home run to left field that nearly made it to the parking lots outside Swayze Field to make it 8-0 Ole Miss.

First Swayze Shower for @JuddUtermark 🌧️ pic.twitter.com/qvHDs223II

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 18, 2023

The official distance on the bomb was 373 feet, but we all know it went farther than that.

Pinch Hit Party

In the eighth, Tim Simay would pinch hit for Jacob Gonzales and get his first career hit with a single into right center. That would be followed by a John Kramer pinch hit single into center.

Bo Gatlin would then pinch hit for Calvin Harris and fly out to right center, advancing Simay to third base.

After Ethan Lege was hit by a pitch to load the bases, the new captain, Garrett Wood, would get his first plate appearance of the new season, and deliver the “walkoff” two-run single that would give the Rebels the run-rule victory.

Walk us off, cap! @Gwood22Wood drives home two to trigger the run rule and send us home! pic.twitter.com/waXZtF0Xk6

— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 18, 2023

Dougherty would finish the game on the mound, going 2.1 innings, allowing no hits, no walks and no runs while striking out five out of the seven batters he faced. The last time Jack had been on the mound prior to this outing was game one of the championship series in Omaha.

Dougherty talked about being back at Swayze and focusing on a new season.

Jack Dougherty

Looking Ahead

The Rebels have one more game remaining with the Blue Hens. Game three will be Sunday afternoon at noon, with Xavier Rivas taking the hill for the first time as a Rebel. The talented transfer from Indianapolis will look to send the Rebels to a 3-0 start to the season.

Rivas will be countered by Delaware lefty Chris Grome. The game will be televised on the SEC Network+.

(Feature credit: Ole Miss Men’s Baseball)