Ole Miss Baseball Drops Series to No. 18 Alabama

OXFORD, Miss. – (Release) Ole Miss and No. 18 Alabama battled in a close contest until a four-run top of the sixth inning for the Crimson Tide helped lift the visitors to a 10-3 victory Saturday afternoon in Oxford.

Rebel starter Mason Nichols returned to the mound for the first time in two weeks and was effective during his four-plus innings. When William Hamiter walked to lead off the fifth for Alabama, Nichols was relieved by Wes Mendes. Facing 16 batters, Nichols allowed one earned run on two hits with a strikeout and two walks.

Mendes (0-1) got the loss and was the second of seven pitchers in the game for Ole Miss. Josh Mallitz, Brayden Jones, Mason Morris, Ryne Rodriguez, and Connor Spencer all saw time on the mound Saturday, in addition to Nichols and Mendes.

The Crimson Tide’s four runs in the top of the sixth were highlighted by a two-run homer from Justin Lebron, followed by a Will Hodo double and a Kade Snell double. Snell later scored on a wild pitch.

Down 5-1, Ole Miss couldn’t mount a comeback, and through the top of the eighth inning, the Tide built its lead to 8-1. In the bottom of the eighth, the Rebels added two runs on a Jackson Ross homer after Brayden Randle walked. It was 8-3 at that point, and Alabama added two more runs in the top of the ninth.

The Rebels’ seven hits in the game were scattered among seven players – Ross, Randle, Ethan Lege, Luke Hill, Eli Berch, Ethan Groff,and Judd Utermark. Alabama, with 13 hits, was paced by Gage Miller and Mac Guscette with three hits each.

Crimson Tide starter Zane Adams (4-2), who worked seven innings with three runs on six hits with a walk and three strikeouts, got the win. Alton Davis II pitched the final two innings for Alabama, who improved to 28-16 overall and 9-12 in Southeastern Conference play.

The Rebels are 23-20 overall and 7-14 in the SEC as they head to Pearl for a Wednesday non-conference game against Mississippi State at 6 p.m.