Ole Miss knocked off Vanderbilt, 3-1, on Friday to open the series against the Commodores. The Rebels move to 35-14 overall and 15-10 in the SEC. Vanderbilt falls to 35-11 and 16-8.
Game two is set for a 4 p.m. start between Derek Diamond and Jack Leiter.
Ole Miss is at No. 10 in the RPI.
Here are notes and observations from the game.
Doug Nikhazy’s consistency is as impressive as anything you’ll see from a college starting pitcher. Not just acceptable outings, but typically ones that set up the Rebels for success. He raises his performance in big moments and big stages, and he made one fewer mistake in standing up to and outshining Kumar Rocker on Friday.
Nikhazy, in his first opening game start since retiring from his chest issue at the beginning of league play, struck out 10, walked two and held the Commodores to just a solo home run in seven innings. He threw 118 pitches and scattered five hits.
While Rocker and Jack Leiter get all the press clippings, Nikhazy and Arkansas closer Kevin Kopps are the best two pitchers in the Southeastern Conference, when looking at games inside the league.
Nikhazy, in his eight league starts, has a 1.89 ERA and 0.97 WHIP. He’s struck out 72 and walked 17. The stuff is above average, and he plays it up with competitiveness. He reminds me so much of Christian Trent, who had a 1.84 ERA in league play in 2014. They may not flash the gun as loudly as others, but they are who you want to go win a baseball game.
The junior struck out the side in the third and had an easy fifth but pitched around some traffic the rest of the game, keeping his composure and locating his fastball splendidly all night. It stayed sharp until he crossed the 100-pitch mark in the seventh inning.
Rocker got sharper as the game went on. He threw 14 total pitches in the fifth and sixth innings and pitched around a Hayden Leatherwood double in the seventh with some help of Ole Miss running into an out at the plate. He was 92-94 MPH deep into his start, and the cutter at 86-88 was sharp, as were the changeup and curve ball. The stuff and the mound presence are elite.
Rocker made two mistakes, and Ole Miss made him pay for both of them…
Kevin Graham and TJ McCants had impressive offensive games, and both hit a home run off Rocker to stake Ole Miss to an early lead.
After Justin Bench was hit by a pitch for the 20th time this season (he only has 19 strikeouts), McCants laced one over the right-field wall.
McCants later bunted for a base hit. He did it on his own, noting that he saw the shift and beat it. He’s hitting over .360 in SEC play.
Graham unloaded with two outs an inning later, sending a solo shot well over the right-field wall. It wet 417 feet and left with a 108 MPH exit velocity. Rocker turned and smiled as it left the playing field. When one is hit like that, all you can do is tip the cap and admire it.
Graham is putting together an all-league season, but Ole Miss isn’t getting enough people on base for him. He entered the game seventh on the team in SEC RBIs despite leading the Rebels in hits, home runs and total bases.
He shot a pitch down the left field line in his last at-bat, beating the shift for a double.
Vanderbilt’s infield defense was tremendous on Friday and saved at least two runs. Shortstop Carter Young and second baseman tee Kolwyck each made diving stops in both directions and kept the ball in the infield with runners on base.
Broadway got the final six outs around one hit with two strikeouts. It was an effective bounce back for the senior who picked up his 10th save of the season. He forced a groundout one a 12-pitch at-bat in the ninth from Thomas.
Ole Miss held Vanderbilt to 2-for-12 with runners on and 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Game two is set for a 4 p.m. start between Derek Diamond and Jack Leiter.
Ole Miss is at No. 10 in the RPI.
Here are notes and observations from the game.
Doug Nikhazy’s consistency is as impressive as anything you’ll see from a college starting pitcher. Not just acceptable outings, but typically ones that set up the Rebels for success. He raises his performance in big moments and big stages, and he made one fewer mistake in standing up to and outshining Kumar Rocker on Friday.
Nikhazy, in his first opening game start since retiring from his chest issue at the beginning of league play, struck out 10, walked two and held the Commodores to just a solo home run in seven innings. He threw 118 pitches and scattered five hits.
While Rocker and Jack Leiter get all the press clippings, Nikhazy and Arkansas closer Kevin Kopps are the best two pitchers in the Southeastern Conference, when looking at games inside the league.
Nikhazy, in his eight league starts, has a 1.89 ERA and 0.97 WHIP. He’s struck out 72 and walked 17. The stuff is above average, and he plays it up with competitiveness. He reminds me so much of Christian Trent, who had a 1.84 ERA in league play in 2014. They may not flash the gun as loudly as others, but they are who you want to go win a baseball game.
The junior struck out the side in the third and had an easy fifth but pitched around some traffic the rest of the game, keeping his composure and locating his fastball splendidly all night. It stayed sharp until he crossed the 100-pitch mark in the seventh inning.
Rocker got sharper as the game went on. He threw 14 total pitches in the fifth and sixth innings and pitched around a Hayden Leatherwood double in the seventh with some help of Ole Miss running into an out at the plate. He was 92-94 MPH deep into his start, and the cutter at 86-88 was sharp, as were the changeup and curve ball. The stuff and the mound presence are elite.
Rocker made two mistakes, and Ole Miss made him pay for both of them…
Kevin Graham and TJ McCants had impressive offensive games, and both hit a home run off Rocker to stake Ole Miss to an early lead.
After Justin Bench was hit by a pitch for the 20th time this season (he only has 19 strikeouts), McCants laced one over the right-field wall.
McCants later bunted for a base hit. He did it on his own, noting that he saw the shift and beat it. He’s hitting over .360 in SEC play.
Graham unloaded with two outs an inning later, sending a solo shot well over the right-field wall. It wet 417 feet and left with a 108 MPH exit velocity. Rocker turned and smiled as it left the playing field. When one is hit like that, all you can do is tip the cap and admire it.
Graham is putting together an all-league season, but Ole Miss isn’t getting enough people on base for him. He entered the game seventh on the team in SEC RBIs despite leading the Rebels in hits, home runs and total bases.
He shot a pitch down the left field line in his last at-bat, beating the shift for a double.
Vanderbilt’s infield defense was tremendous on Friday and saved at least two runs. Shortstop Carter Young and second baseman tee Kolwyck each made diving stops in both directions and kept the ball in the infield with runners on base.
Broadway got the final six outs around one hit with two strikeouts. It was an effective bounce back for the senior who picked up his 10th save of the season. He forced a groundout one a 12-pitch at-bat in the ninth from Thomas.
Ole Miss held Vanderbilt to 2-for-12 with runners on and 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
