I'm not sure there's much to say. This isn't complicated, and it was mentioned in both the game story and the video. Ole Miss didn't play well enough or clean enough last night against Tennessee. The staples that contributed to a 17-2 start didn't happen in this one.
The bullpen didn't make a pitch twice that would have ended the seventh inning and made things manageable. Ryan Rolison got the big second strikeout in the seventh but then walked the next batter. Grae Kessinger didn't recover on the double play ball that skidding and went into the outfield. Each corner outfielder failed to make a very good but possible play at the wall during the second inning. Cooper Johnson allowed a run on a passed ball.
You get the point. There were a lot of spots where just being the side to make the play would have changed the outcome. The Rebels were the better team with a lot of key stats, but they certainly weren't with making "the play." Tennessee meanwhile got the two big hits, worked the walks, converted a little luck and make the right pitching change at the right time.
I thought Rolison showed a lot of ace quality last night by overcoming the second inning and throwing up four scoreless innings after that. I also think Mike made the right call going to Will Ethridge there. Ethridge hadn't walked anyone or allowed a hit in 8.2 innings, and Andre Lipcius was 2-for-2 with a double and walk against Rolison to that point.
The aggressive base running has helped Ole Miss more than it's hurt this season, but I still contend most SEC right fielders make that play on the tag last night. Hold him there and it is still just one out with Ryan Olenek up. It wasn't egregious but I don't think it played the percentages.
Credit to Ole Miss for getting that four-spot in the seventh and not laying down after the six-run inning. That bodes well moving forward. They could have shut down there. And it's probably a different outcome if Cole Zabowski's line drive is four feet in either direction.
Thomas Dillard surely was looking fastball in the seventh. That strikeout looking was a huge boost for the Vols.
Tim Elko can play for me everyday.
Garrett Crochet was as expected. He was good but not great. He threw strikes but threw hittable pitches. He only had one strikeout so Ole Miss did a good job putting him in play. But after the first they let him settle in and never strung anything together to stress him until the seventh when he had a huge lead.
On paper, Tennessee has a really solid starting pitcher going today but not much in the bullpen. Ole Miss put itself in a weird spot because the Vols saved their experienced arm for Saturday. Big opportunity for Brady Feigl.
I'll stop rattling on. Bottom line is Ole Miss isn't going to win many allowing eight runs on 10 hits on Friday night. The weather sucked and the wind was affecting the baseball, but the Rebels are built by pitching and defense and both those areas let the Rebels down for the first time this season.
There are 29 SEC games remaining, and last night isn't the end of the world. However, there's a lot of pressure on the next two days, and Ole Miss simply has to be better in those phases.
SEC SCORES
Florida 7, South Carolina 3
Alabama 10, Georgia 9
LSU 4, Missouri 2
Arkansas 9, Kentucky 4
Vanderbilt 5, MSU 0
Auburn 4, Texas A&M 1
The bullpen didn't make a pitch twice that would have ended the seventh inning and made things manageable. Ryan Rolison got the big second strikeout in the seventh but then walked the next batter. Grae Kessinger didn't recover on the double play ball that skidding and went into the outfield. Each corner outfielder failed to make a very good but possible play at the wall during the second inning. Cooper Johnson allowed a run on a passed ball.
You get the point. There were a lot of spots where just being the side to make the play would have changed the outcome. The Rebels were the better team with a lot of key stats, but they certainly weren't with making "the play." Tennessee meanwhile got the two big hits, worked the walks, converted a little luck and make the right pitching change at the right time.
I thought Rolison showed a lot of ace quality last night by overcoming the second inning and throwing up four scoreless innings after that. I also think Mike made the right call going to Will Ethridge there. Ethridge hadn't walked anyone or allowed a hit in 8.2 innings, and Andre Lipcius was 2-for-2 with a double and walk against Rolison to that point.
The aggressive base running has helped Ole Miss more than it's hurt this season, but I still contend most SEC right fielders make that play on the tag last night. Hold him there and it is still just one out with Ryan Olenek up. It wasn't egregious but I don't think it played the percentages.
Credit to Ole Miss for getting that four-spot in the seventh and not laying down after the six-run inning. That bodes well moving forward. They could have shut down there. And it's probably a different outcome if Cole Zabowski's line drive is four feet in either direction.
Thomas Dillard surely was looking fastball in the seventh. That strikeout looking was a huge boost for the Vols.
Tim Elko can play for me everyday.
Garrett Crochet was as expected. He was good but not great. He threw strikes but threw hittable pitches. He only had one strikeout so Ole Miss did a good job putting him in play. But after the first they let him settle in and never strung anything together to stress him until the seventh when he had a huge lead.
On paper, Tennessee has a really solid starting pitcher going today but not much in the bullpen. Ole Miss put itself in a weird spot because the Vols saved their experienced arm for Saturday. Big opportunity for Brady Feigl.
I'll stop rattling on. Bottom line is Ole Miss isn't going to win many allowing eight runs on 10 hits on Friday night. The weather sucked and the wind was affecting the baseball, but the Rebels are built by pitching and defense and both those areas let the Rebels down for the first time this season.
There are 29 SEC games remaining, and last night isn't the end of the world. However, there's a lot of pressure on the next two days, and Ole Miss simply has to be better in those phases.
SEC SCORES
Florida 7, South Carolina 3
Alabama 10, Georgia 9
LSU 4, Missouri 2
Arkansas 9, Kentucky 4
Vanderbilt 5, MSU 0
Auburn 4, Texas A&M 1
