Diamond Rebels drop game three and the series to No. 5 Arkansas
Oxford, Miss. – After splitting the double-header against No. 5 Arkansas on Friday, the Rebs were back at Swayze Saturday evening in the rubber match. The back-and-forth battle ultimately ended with a 6-4 Arkansas win that gives the Hogs the series.
On the Bump
Ole Miss freshman J.T. Quinn earned his second consecutive Sunday start since Coach Bianco rearranged the weekend rotation. J.T. settled in well, punching out two Arkansas hitters to end a 1-2-3 top of the first.
A little first-inning filth from @quinnjt1. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/Trvj6OrlV8
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 8, 2023
After adding two more Ks to his line in the second, Quinn gave up a solo shot to dead center to lead off the third. This made it 1-0 Arkansas before J.T. sat down the next three he faced.
Quinn walked the leadoff man to begin the fifth, eventually allowing that runner to score from third off a wild pitch. Another Razorback who reached on an error raced home courtesy of a double, making it 3-1 Arkansas through four and a half.
Beginning the sixth, Quinn was replaced by lefty Jackson Kimbrell.
Quinn finished his start with 5 innings of work, 3 runs off 3 hits, 2 walks and 8 Ks.
Mid 6 | @jacksonkimbrell relieves Quinn and retires the Hogs in order!
Ole Miss 3, Arkansas 3 pic.twitter.com/bqs2yy6VXc
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 8, 2023
After the game, Coach Bianco commented on the freshman’s outing:
“I thought he was good. He was better than he was last week, and he continues to get better and better. And we talked about last week, he gave us an opportunity to win today. He probably deserved to win the baseball game. I thought he pitched really well and competed hard. We didn’t help him defensively.”
Coach Bianco on J.T. Quinn
A single to begin the seventh would knock Kimbrell off the mound, with Sam Tookoian coming on to relieve him. Jackson finished with one inning pitched, allowing a run and just one hit.
Tookoian sat down the first two he saw; however, a single to right allowed a runner left on by Kimbrell to race home. Another single quickly followed, giving Arkansas a 5-3 lead as Tookoian was replaced by Mason Nichols. ‘Took’ recorded 2 outs, allowing 2 hits and run while adding 2 Ks as well.
Nichols allowed back-to-back hits to start the eighth, and that combined with an Ole Miss error in the outfield, plated another run for the Razorbacks. After bringing it to within one in the seventh, it was 6-4 Arkansas heading to the Rebel half of the eighth.
Jackson Kimbrell was credited with the loss, making him 0-2 on the year.
At the Plate
A double to the centerfield wall put the Rebs in the box score in the fourth. Courtesy of Anthony Calarco’s bat, Ethan Groff raced home from third to tie it at one through four played.
Lark ties it! pic.twitter.com/qVDtYHvpYy
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 8, 2023
Peyton Chatagnier drew a walk with two outs in the fifth, setting up Jacob Gonzalez at the plate who represented the tying run. ‘Gonzo’ lived up to his nickname, sending one into the student section to tie it back up at three.
GONZOOOOOOOOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/LCkWacDJJB
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 8, 2023
Ethan Lege continued to have a great weekend, doubling to the left-center gap in the bottom of the seventh.
A passed ball and walk drawn from Chatagnier put Rebels on the corners for Gonzalez, allowing the shortstop to drive Lege in to make cut it to one, 5-4 Arkansas, after seven played.
Professional pic.twitter.com/y14Jg8BkWS
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 8, 2023
Arkansas would tack on one run in the 8th to take a 6-4 lead.
The Rebels would have one last shot at it in the bottom of the ninth. Unfortunately, Ole Miss stranded a runner to end the game. The Rebs fall to 18-13 and 2-10 in SEC play.
After the loss, Chatagnier spoke on the Rebels recent struggles.
“I’ve got no idea. We’re just not playing great baseball and I think we are better than we are playing but I don’t know what is it. We’ve got to figure it out.”
Peyton Chatagnier
Hunter Elliott Update
Coach Bianco also gave an update on injured Rebel ace Hunter Elliott:
“He threw a bullpen on Monday and Thursday, full speed, felt great. He’ll throw another bullpen next week and throw to some hitters live prior to going to Starkville and just continue to progress…if he continues to hit all his marks and feel good, I would think that he would pitch LSU weekend in some capacity.”
Coach Bianco on Hunter Elliott’s status
Up Next
The Rebs will be back at Swayze for a pair of midweek games on Tuesday and Wednesday versus Memphis and Alcorn State. Next Friday, Ole Miss travels to Starkville to play rival Mississippi State in a three-game series.
(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.
