Ole Miss walks off game three vs. Maryland, 18-8, to take the series
OXFORD, Miss. – A rubber match after the Rebels tied the series Saturday turned into a home run fest that saw ten balls leave the yard. The Rebs won, 18-8, in seven innings to take the weekend series, but the teams will have one more shot at each other next Friday up North in the Cambria College Classic.
On the Mound
Indianapolis transfer, Xavier Rivas got his second consecutive Sunday start in the powder blues. The Rebel southpaw found his groove early, striking out the Terrapins in order 1-2-3 with the last K coming off a pitch clock violation from the hitter.
After the hot start, a few walks in the second inning raised the pitch count for Rivas. Following the first Maryland hit of the day, a two-run shot to left gave the Terrapins a 2-1 lead heading to the bottom of the third.
The Rebs led by 6 in the fourth inning before the second Maryland homer of the day off Rivas. The two-run shot narrowed the Rebel lead to 8-4. Shortly after, another two-run shot followed to make it 8-6 and knock Rivas off the mound.
Rivas finished with 3.2 innings pitched, 6 runs off 6 hits, 4 walks and 5 Ks. Senior right-hander Mitch Murrell came in as his relief with two outs in the top of the third, stranding two to keep the 8-6 lead.
Mitch was working quickly in the top of the fifth with two punch outs before another two-run blast for Maryland was sent to right. The eighth home run of the day left the Rebel lead at 10-8 going to the home half of the fifth.
Murrell’s day came to an end after 2.1 innings of work, adding 3 strikeouts, not allowing a walk and gave up only 2 runs on the day.
The senior handed it off to freshman Brayden Jones to start the seventh. Jones found himself in bases-loaded trouble before a loud out caught on the warning track kept the Rebel lead at 11-8.
Despite collecting 31 Ks as a whole this weekend, the Ole Miss pitching staff has seemed to have struggled early this year with walks. Coach Bianco commented on his staff postgame:
“We’re still trying to figure it out. We gotta attack the strike zone more. We’re gonna make some better pitches, but that’s a pretty good team in the other dugout.”
Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco
At the Plate
The Rebel bats were hot late in yesterday’s contest. Jacob Gonzalez continued that trend from the leadoff spot giving the Rebs the early 1-0 lead Sunday with a solo blast into the student section in the first inning.
Cue the showers!🌧 @jakegonzalez717 pic.twitter.com/uK9c7L9qzQ
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 26, 2023
The Rebs trailed 2-1 to start the bottom of the third. Peyton Chatagnier put that to bed immediately, putting the first pitch of the inning over the left field wall to even things back up.
.@peytonchat5 ties it up as he sends one over the left field wall!🧨 pic.twitter.com/87CtnOQ7XO
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 26, 2023
Ole Miss continued to pile on as Calvin Harris poked another ball to left, giving the Rebs three more.
.@Calvin_Harris33 joins the home run party with a 3-run jack!
Ole Miss 5, Maryland 2 pic.twitter.com/kwSt8Ar41f
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 26, 2023
The red and blue did not stop there. After being out of the lineup the first two games, TJ McCants sent a no-doubt, three-run blast into the student section for the third homer of the inning. The Rebels put up a 7-spot in the inning, giving them the 8-2 lead through three played.
.@mccants_tj makes sure everyone knows he is back! 💥 pic.twitter.com/YrABztdx28
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 26, 2023
TJ missed games one and two of this weekend’s series due to a passing in his family. Coach Bianco talked postgame about McCants:
“Your heart breaks for him and his family…the kid’s sensational and we know he’s a great player. I don’t know how many kids could go through what he’s gone through and be able to bounce back and be able to play as well as he has. Just happy for him and proud.”
Coach Bianco on TJ McCants
Harris drove in another run for the Rebs in the bottom of the fourth. A double from the Rebel catcher allowed Ethan Groff to turn on the jets and score all the way from first. Calvin eventually crossed the plate himself via a Kemp Alderman single to extend the Rebel lead to 10-6 heading to the fifth.
Alderman extended the Rebel lead in the bottom of the sixth with a moonshot the opposite way, making it 11-8 Ole Miss though six.
To the moon! 🚀 @KempAlderman pic.twitter.com/3V3sVG4Lmq
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 26, 2023
The Rebels loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, eventually leading to three runs of the free variety per Chatagnier, Groff walks and Gonzo taking a pitch off the shoulder. With the bases still juiced, Harris blasted his second homer of the day, a grand slam, to end the game 18-8 on a run-rule.
Break out the rye bread! @Calvin_Harris33 hits a walk-off grand slam! pic.twitter.com/LoiF4XxNaF
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) February 26, 2023
The long ball has become a common sight for the Rebels this year so far. Ole Miss hit six home runs on the day, giving them eighteen for the young season.
Up Next
The Diamond Rebs will be back at Swayze for a two-day midweek series against Louisiana Tech. Game one will be Tuesday with first pitch scheduled for 4 pm.
(Feature image credit: Josh McCoy, Ole Miss)
Kameron Wicker
Kam is an undergraduate at Ole Miss, currently pursuing a degree in Journalism. Even though he’s from Delhi, Louisiana, that didn’t stop Kam from growing up a diehard Ole Miss fan. He’s a sports guru who watches and follows all sports at all times. He lettered four years in football and baseball in high school and is an avid Saints, Pelicans, and Astros fan. In his free time, you can find him watching sports or at the rec participating in them.
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