Early Offense Lifts No. 17 Baseball Over Jacksonville State Saturday

OXFORD, Miss. -(Release) Ole Miss scored nine runs in the first two innings of Saturday’s game against Jacksonville State and moved on to a 12-4 win at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.

In the bottom of the first, a bases loaded walk scored the Rebels’ first run to tie the game 1-1. Then the inning’s big hits were an Isaac Humphrey double to right center which scored two runs and a Will Furniss single that also scored two runs.

In the bottom of the second, it was the long ball that added to the Rebel lead. After a Luke Hill single, Mitchell Sanford homered. After Humphrey walked, Austin Fawley homered. The Rebels led 9-1 after two complete.

Rebel starter Riley Maddox had another terrific outing, even as the Gamecocks got a run in the top of the first. In his five innings on Saturday, the right-hander allowed one run on two hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

In his last three games, all starts, Maddox has pitched 15 innings, allowing just one run on seven hits with 14 strikeouts.

There was no more scoring until the sixth inning when Jacksonville State put three runs on the board.

In the bottom of the seventh, Ole Miss matched that with three runs to lead 12-4. Ryan Moerman doubled to score Luke Cheng and Hayden Federico, who had both been hit by pitches to reach. A bases loaded walk then put Ole Miss up by eight runs again.

Furniss and Hill with two hits each and Humphrey with three RBI paced the Rebels.

Maddox (3-1) picked up the win for the Rebs. Starter Jackson Phipps (1-1), the first of nine pitchers for JSU, got the loss. Walker Hooks got his first save of the season for Ole Miss.

The Rebels (13-1) and the Gamecocks (10-5) conclude the weekend series with a 1:30 p.m.game on Sunday.

Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

– Courtesy of Jeff Roberson, Ole Miss Athletics