REBELS WIN THE SERIES! Ole Miss Baseball Takes 10-2 Game-Two Victory and the Series Over No. 2 A&M
OXFORD, Miss. – Behind a great start from Liam Doyle and the Rebel bats, Ole Miss secured the series win over the No. 2 Texas A&M Aggies, 10-2, on Senior Day at Swayze field Sunday evening.
Series clinched! Rebs take down the No. 2 Aggies! pic.twitter.com/ii6FRkzvih
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 11, 2024
On the Mound
Coming off of a great night in game one for the Rebel pitching staff, southpaw Liam Doyle looked to continue that trend in his usual game two start. The lefty gave up a pair of singles in the opening frame but punched out three Aggies batters along the way.
Three Ks for @Doyle22L in the first 🔥🔥🔥
📺 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/CkJuQHvqqa
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 11, 2024
Doyle then cruised through the top of the second as well, recording his fourth strikeout of the game in a 1-2-3 frame. The Aggies did, however, scratch across a run in the top of the third via a solo home, but thanks to the Rebel bats Doyle was sitting on a 5-1 lead through three innings of work.
The Rebel southpaw took the time after the game to talk about his mentality on the bump.
“The goal today was to just fill up the strike zone, especially against these hitters. They don’t swing often, especially early in the count. They wait for their pitch and wait for starters to run up the pitch count. Really just tried to feel up the strike zone today, a lot of first-pitch strikes, get ahead of their hitters, then they will eventually start chasing when you get to 1-2 and 0-2 counts.“
~ Doyle on his mentality during his start in game two
Starting to really settle into his pitches, Doyle eased through the top of the fourth and fifth, sitting down six straight Aggies batters and picking up his sixth and seventh punchouts of the game.
Three Ks for @Doyle22L in the first 🔥🔥🔥
📺 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/CkJuQHvqqa
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 11, 2024
A leadoff single in the top of the sixth looked to be just what the Aggies ordered to finally find success off the Rebel starter. However, a double-play got Doyle through another frame which proved to be his last of the day. Through six innings of work, the lefty posted seven strikeouts, did not issue a walk and only allowed one run. Doyle was credited with the win for the day as well.
The play by Burf! The stretch by Furn! Inning over!@burford_reagan x @WillFurniss
📺 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/JeuAmOAPYq— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 11, 2024
The Rebels turned to Josh Mallitz to begin the seventh, up with just nine outs needed for a series win. A single off of the Ole Miss reliever put some traffic on the base paths but Mallitz stayed composed to hold the Aggies scoreless for the fourth straight inning.
After the game, head coach Mike Bianco commented on how good Mallitz was out of the bullpen.
“I thought he was terrific. The seventh and the eighth, super dominant. I think he is starting to look like the Mallitz we were hoping for, not just today but several outings in a row. It’s hard when you get to the ninth, it’s tough. Two things can happen, one is he (Mallitz) gets to 50 pitches, and I don’t think he has done that the whole season. Then number two, you’re going through the heart of their (Texas A&M) lineup, and it doesn’t matter what the score is. There is a competitiveness to this pitching staff that they don’t want to get hit (allow hits) …I thought he was really good today.“
~ Coach Bianco on Mallitz’s performance out of the bullpen
In the top of the eighth, Mallitz continued to deal as he punched out the Aggies in order. The reliever then came back out for the top of the ninth and recorded the last three outs to clinch the series over Texas A&M.
Strike out the side then, Mal! 🔥🔥🔥@joshmallitz | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/cljXOidPn9
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 11, 2024
At the Plate
Following the Friday-night heroics from Jackson Ross, another senior — also the Rebel captain — Reagan Burford put Ole Miss on the board early in this one. A two-run shot to straight-away centerfield put the Rebels up 2-0 but the scoring did not stop there.
CAP GOES DEEP ON SENIOR DAY ❗❗@burford_reagan | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/wxdcFS3Xyx
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 11, 2024
The Rebel captain commented on his recent success during the postgame.
“Coming up to that, I had struggled at the plate recently. Coach (Bianco) gave me the opportunity. He has been preaching to me to stay up the middle, stay in the right-center gap, and that is what I have been trying to do and a lot of the balls I have hit the past few games have been to the middle of the field.“
~ Burford on his recent success at the plate
Hitting became contagious in the bottom of the second with two outs for Ole Miss. After the Burford bomb, singles off the bats of Treyson Hughes and Eli Berch allowed Luke Hill to drive in another Rebel run.
Back from whence it came 🔁@Luke_Hill22 | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/IoLp6xAUJO
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 11, 2024
The Aggies then went into their bullpen, only to see Andrew Fischer mash one into the right-center field gap for a two-RBI double to put the Rebels up 5-0 through two played.
Two more Rebs touch home 🏠@sirfischer3 | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/bB6Unew7yD
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 11, 2024
Continuing his stellar weekend at the plate, Ross decided to keep the runs coming in the bottom of the fourth as he poked a pitch over the first baseman’s head into right field to add two more Rebel runs.
Sarge clears the bases, and the Rebs have plated eight! 🎱@Jackson_Ross55 | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/nNeJ9Knzxs
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 11, 2024
Once again, though, hitting became contagious for the Rebel lineup. Ethan Groff added another in favor of Ole Miss thanks to an RBI double to make it 9-1 heading to the fifth.
All the seniors eating today 🍔@ethangroff12 | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/zwIYAyDYTf
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 11, 2024
While answering a question about his Captain, Burford, Coach Bianco took the time to commend his seniors as well.
“Just proud of him (Burford), all the seniors. When you start to look down the stretch, it happens like that sometimes with the older guys. They start to feel it, it’s their last go-around…Groff had a really good day; Ross had a good day last night.“
~ Coach Bianco on being proud of his seniors
After three scoreless innings posted by the Rebel lineup, singles by Groff and Will Furniss put Ole Miss in position for the run-rule win. It didn’t happen, but it was close. Campbell Smithwick would deliver with a double down the left field line, scoring Furniss but Groff was thrown out at the plate to prevent the eleventh run.
Josh Mallitz would record the final three outs in the top of the ninth to win the series.
Up Next
Game three of Ole Miss versus Texas A&M is scheduled for 5 pm CT Sunday, marking the final game at Swayze this season as the Rebels look for a series sweep of the Aggies. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.
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.
