Rebels split series with A&M, will play Alabama in Hoover on Tuesday at SEC Tournament

After thunderstorms on Friday night, Ole Miss and No. 6 Texas A&M were scheduled to play two seven inning games in a Saturday afternoon double header. However, due to more inclement weather game two was cancelled. Winning game one by a score of 7-4, Ole Miss moves to 30-25 overall and 15-14 in SEC play.

“That is a really good team over there,” said Ole Miss Head Coach Mike Bianco on Texas A&M. “A very good offense, the best we have seen since LSU.”

The Rebels struggled out of the gate. Down two with two outs in the second inning, the Rebels bats came alive. Sparked by a Cameron Dishon single, the Rebels scored three runs, every hit and score came with two outs.

“We will take them as they give them to us,” said Ole Miss Shortstop Errol Robinson. “An infield hit here, a stolen base here, a wild pitch here, leads to a big inning.”

Then in the third, the Ole Miss defense joined the bats. Robinson started the Rebels off strong with a web gem of a diving catch. Not to be outdone, Cameron Dishon laid out for an equally spectacular catch to end the inning. The Rebels then scored three more runs in the bottom of the third to take a 6-2 lead.

“That was pretty cool, that was definitely pretty cool,” said Robinson on his catch. “Really excited for me, but that was just an opportunity to help the team.”

The Rebels had twelve hits on the day and all nine players in the starting lineup had a hit. With Dishon, Robinson and Kyle Watson all getting two hits. Colby Bortles, Sikes Orvis, and Nic Perkins all had one RBI, with Robinson and Will Golsan having two.

“Our bats have gotten hot as of late,” said Robinson. “That is great to see for all of us, especially with the plethora of pitchers they have on their (Texas A&M) side challenging us.”

Starting Pitcher Brady Bramlett had a good day on the mound, in spite of giving up four runs. He struck out seven batters and pitched a total of five innings. Bramlett was later replaced by Jacob Waguespack, who only pitched an out and was quickly replaced by Wyatt Short. Short got the save, the sophomore’s thirteenth of his career, and tenth of the season. He allowed no runs in 1.2 innings pitched and struck out two batters.

“Today my command was back the way it was early on in the season,” said Bramlett. “Really had a command of cutter and breaking ball today, felt good just spotting up.”

With this win Ole Miss will have their 18th straight season with thirty wins. Also of note, Mike Bianco has never had a sub-thirty win season as a baseball head coach. The win also will all but guarantee an Ole Miss NCAA Tournament bid. The Rebels move to 15-14 in league play. Their RPI jumped from 30 to 23 after the win. The Rebels also boast the number one strength of schedule on their resume.

“Now you kind of start a new season,” said Coach Bianco. “There was a point that we didn’t look real good, they held together, and we got better.”

The Rebels will be the six seed in the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Alabama. They will play the eleven seeded Alabama Crimson Tide on Tuesday at 9:30am. The winner will play Texas A&M on Wednesday at 9:30am.

The Rebels hope to get leadoff hitter Connor Cloyd back for the SEC Tournament. Cloyd injured himself last weekend against Mississippi State. Also Pitcher Sam Smith was seen on crutches Saturday afternoon, a new development. According to Coach Bianco, he will be back after the SEC Tournament.