Mike Bianco Notches 1,000th Career Win as Ole Miss Baseball Splits Doubleheader at Georgia
ATHENS, Ga. – (Release) Ole Miss Baseball (21-18, 6-12 SEC) split a day-night doubleheader with No. 23 Georgia (29-10, 9-9 SEC) Saturday to win one of its three games in Athens.
With the win, head coach Mike Bianco became the 21st active coach with 1,000 wins under his belt. He is also now the 98th head coach in NCAA history to reach the mark. The win is also his 900th as the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels.
After the game, Coach Bianco was asked about the milestone.
Coach Bianco on his 1,000th career win: “The truth is you get here because of a lot of great players, and I mean that sincerely. I’ve been here 24 years and we’ve had some great teams and some great coaches…this is kind of a team program kind of accolade….And you don’t do it…
— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) April 21, 2024
https://x.com/OleMissBSB/status/1781873982146277723
The Rebels rallied to take game two of the doubleheader and the final game of the series by a tight score of 3-2. Ole Miss pitching held the Bulldogs to just two unearned runs and just five hits in the finale, striking out 11 batters in the process.
Gunnar Dennis made his first start since March 31 in game two, allowing just four hits over 4.1 innings of work. He allowed just one unearned run in the third inning that came on an overthrown ball to third base.
Gunnar Dennis fans Condon in a scoreless first pic.twitter.com/wopbzYI935
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 20, 2024
JT Quinn relieved Dennis with one out and one on in the fifth inning. He induced a strikeout and a groundout on a comebacker in his first action since March 2 to get out of the inning.
Nasty K from @quinnjt1 out of the ‘pen
📺 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/zOxlbLu4OU
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 20, 2024
Ethan Lege hit a solo home run, his 12th of the season, in the sixth inning to tie the game a one run apiece.
TIED UP! @_ethanlege launches one to the trees!
📺 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/6TR4hytuE3
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 20, 2024
After Andrew Fischer was thrown out at the plate trying to score later in the inning, Will Furniss knocked in Jackson Ross to give the Rebels a 2-1 lead.
Furniss puts the Rebs on top!@WillFurniss | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/o5VvQiPuvZ
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 20, 2024
Ole Miss would add one more in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Fischer to make it 3-1.
Rebs add one on a @sirfischer3 sac fly
📺 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/LfWUzgtA1F
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 21, 2024
Quinn pitched into the seventh inning before being relieved by Austin Simmons with one on and no outs. The Bulldogs went on to load the bases and scored an unearned run on a fielding error before Simmons was able to get out of the inning.
Quinn’s final line in his return to the mound was no hits, one unearned run, two strikeouts, and two walks over 1.2 innings of work. He was also credited with the win at the end of the game.
Simmons, working for the second time in the doubleheader, struck out two batters in his inning of work.
AUSTIN. SIMMONS. Two huge Ks from the freshman. 🔥🔥@austnsimmons | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/I8vIwd4G8z
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 21, 2024
Brayden Jones came in and worked a two inning save, allowing just one baserunner and striking out three to close out the win.
BALLGAME! Brayden Jones slams the door shut to secure career win No. 1000 for @CoachMikeBianco! pic.twitter.com/oZRtNnAih0
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) April 21, 2024
Liam Doyle put together another strong start in game one, pitching five innings while striking out eight batters. It was the fifth time in seven starts that the sophomore struck out eight or more. His only blemish came in the fifth when Charlie Condon hit his first home run of the games to make it 2-0 Georgia.
The Rebels were held to just two hits offensively through the first five innings. In the sixth, Furniss drew a walk and Ross singled to left to put two runners on for Treyson Hughes. Hughes laced a double to the center field wall that tied the game up at 2-2.
However, that would be the end of the scoring for Ole Miss as Georgia put up five runs in the seventh inning to take a 7-2 lead. The Rebels were retired in order in the seventh, eighth, and ninth as the Bulldogs took the game and the series.
Next Up
Ole Miss will return home this week to host North Alabama on Tuesday and Alabama starting on Thursday.
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn’s love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.
