Ole Miss Baseball Rolls Past Morehead State, 13-1, to Win Third-Straight Series

OXFORD, Miss. – (Release) Ole Miss took game two from Morehead State 13-1 on Saturday to claim the series and set up an opportunity for a sweep on Sunday.

The Rebels had solid pitching and defense all day, while the offense was productive in the first three innings to build a big lead.

Sophomore left-handed starter Liam Doyle got two quick strikeouts in the top of the first, but then walked an Eagle batter and hit the next before ending the inning with his third strikeout.

In the bottom of the first, the Rebels began their offensive output that resulted in a 9-0 lead after three innings. After an Ethan Groff single, Andrew Fischer double, and Jackson Ross walk loaded the bases, Ethan Lege singled to score Groff. Treyson Hughes flew out to right field to score Fischer. A Luke Hill single scored Ross. It was 3-0 Ole Miss after one complete.

After Doyle gave up two base hits to start the top of the second, three straight strikeouts then prevented any runs. In the bottom of the second the Rebels added four runs. Eli Berch led off with a single, and two outs later, Ross singled to put runners on the corners.

A Lege base hit up the middle got Berch home to make it 4-0. Hughes was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Hill came through with a two RBI single to score Lege and Ross for a 6-0 UM lead. Hughes was able to come around and score to make it 7-0 on a wild pitch and a throwing error by the catcher.

In the third, Doyle got the Eagle batters three up, three down, and Ole Miss continued to score. Ross grounded out to score Berch who had reached on a walk. Lege singled to score Groff who had gotten aboard on an Eagle error. The Rebels led 9-0 through three.

Junior right-hander Cole Tolbert came in for Doyle with one out and one on in the top of the fourth. He pitched the remainder of the inning, allowing just one run. Morehead State had cut the UM lead to 9-1.

The Rebels added a run in the bottom of the fourth after Hill and Judd Utermark both reached by walk. Brayden Randle got on with a fielder’s choice, and on the same play Hill scored on an Eagle throwing error. That made the score 10-1 Rebels.

In the top of the fifth, freshman right-hander Patrick Galle took the mound and faced four hitters, allowing one hit with two strikeouts and a fly out to left. For Ole Miss in the bottom of the fifth, Ross walked and stole second, then Hughes singled to bring him home. Hill walked and later scored, as did Hughes, on a Randle single to left. Ole Miss was up by 12 runs.

Junior right-hander Mason Nichols started the sixth on the mound for Ole Miss and pitched two innings, allowing no runs and no hits, with one walk and five strikeouts. The game ended after the top of the seventh via 10-run rule.

Lege led the offensive attack for the Rebels, going 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Hill was 2-for-2 with three RBI and two runs scored. First baseman Gabriel Sepulveda paced MSU at the plate, going 2-for-3 on the night. The Rebels had 11 hits to five for Morehead State.

Doyle, 1-0, got the win for Ole Miss. Grant Herron, the MSU starter and the first of five pitchers for the Eagles, got the loss and is 1-1.

The teams wrap up the three-game series at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. Ole Miss, now 11-5 on the year, won 10-3 on Friday night. Morehead State is 7-7 on the season.

By Jeff Roberson/ Ole Miss Communications