Ok, two stats: It's the first time since 1997 MSU has swept Ole Miss in a baseball season. That Ole Miss team went 6-24 in the SEC, so things have been worse. It's the first time either team swept since 2014 when Ole Miss went 4-0 on the season.
Second, and the more pressing: Ole Miss is 20-1 when it scores four runs or more. That shouldn't be a tall order in college baseball most of the time. The Rebels are 12-14 when they score five runs or fewer, so you can do the math.
Tonight, this was lost in the first two innings. I know there were plays and opportunities later, but Ole Miss worked MSU starter Denver McQuary for 54 pitches through two innings but couldn't score. At one point he'd only thrown 57 strikes out of 104 pitches but still had the shutout. Ole Miss finally got two runs off him in the sixth to cut the lead to one at the time.
The Rebels loaded the bases in the first inning with two outs when Tim Rowe swung at a 2-0 fastball inside that would have been ball three. Instead he dribbled it to the second baseman to end the inning. There was a bit of misfortune earlier in the inning when Tate Blackman was moving on the pitch and couldn't tag and move to third on a Colby Bortles fly out. That just happens. No one's fault. I give Ole Miss credit for putting people in motion.
The Rebels picked up two-out walks from Grae Kessinger and Tate Blackman in the second inning, but Will Golsan couldn't get a run home. The Rebels stranded 13 runners on the night. Ole Miss was 4-of-22 with runners on and 1-for-9 with two outs. State was 4-for-10 with runners on base.
Golsan, who has been Ole Miss' best hitter lately and puts nice at-bats together, had two hits without a runner in scoring position but went 0-for-3 during RBI at-bats on Tuesday.
Greer Holston was better than his line indicates. He was tagged for three runs, all coming from a Brent Rooker home run, during his six innings. But the fastball had nice life, and he spotted his offspeed the best since his start in Hattiesburg. Arms aren't the issue. He missed his spot to Rooker with two men on and got away with a poor location against Cody Brown, but otherwise he did his job. It just shows how little margin for error this is for Ole Miss pitchers in most games.
Brady Feigl was also sharp with his movement, but Rooker doubled off him to start the eighth. Cooper Johnson picked Rooker off, but second base umpire Ray Gregson missed the call, and Ryan Gridley knocked Rooker in moments later. Gregson helped Ole Miss out with a caught stealing call earlier, but that doesn't excuse an obvious miss that led to a run.
Speaking of Johnson, he's close to back to defensive form, and he has four hits in his last four games. He had a double and an RBI single tonight. The swings lately are more aggressive, and he seems to be gaining confidence. It couldn't come at a better time.
More on Cooper here
Only down one at the time, Ole Miss put runners on the corners with one out in the seventh, but pinch hitter Michael Fitzsimmons, who entered the game hitting .120 in 30 plate appearances against lefties, grounded into a double play to end the inning. However, that's not picking on Fitzsimmons. Ole Miss is only hitting .191 as a team against left-handers. There wasn't a great option, and Rowe hadn't had good swings in earlier at-bats.
All in all, it's a missed opportunity for an RPI victory and a winning streak going into Arkansas this weekend. The Rebels desperately need three of their next six league games, and they have to find a way to take advantage of numerous opportunities. State didn't play well or clean, but Ole Miss couldn't get the necessary production to accept the gifts.
As of this posting:
RPI: 43
Record vs. top 50: 6-12
Record vs. 51-100: 5-3
Record vs. 101-199: 11-0
Record vs. 200+: 3-1
Ole Miss had 3 sub-100 losses this morning, but Memphis moved from 103 to 97
Second, and the more pressing: Ole Miss is 20-1 when it scores four runs or more. That shouldn't be a tall order in college baseball most of the time. The Rebels are 12-14 when they score five runs or fewer, so you can do the math.
Tonight, this was lost in the first two innings. I know there were plays and opportunities later, but Ole Miss worked MSU starter Denver McQuary for 54 pitches through two innings but couldn't score. At one point he'd only thrown 57 strikes out of 104 pitches but still had the shutout. Ole Miss finally got two runs off him in the sixth to cut the lead to one at the time.
The Rebels loaded the bases in the first inning with two outs when Tim Rowe swung at a 2-0 fastball inside that would have been ball three. Instead he dribbled it to the second baseman to end the inning. There was a bit of misfortune earlier in the inning when Tate Blackman was moving on the pitch and couldn't tag and move to third on a Colby Bortles fly out. That just happens. No one's fault. I give Ole Miss credit for putting people in motion.
The Rebels picked up two-out walks from Grae Kessinger and Tate Blackman in the second inning, but Will Golsan couldn't get a run home. The Rebels stranded 13 runners on the night. Ole Miss was 4-of-22 with runners on and 1-for-9 with two outs. State was 4-for-10 with runners on base.
Golsan, who has been Ole Miss' best hitter lately and puts nice at-bats together, had two hits without a runner in scoring position but went 0-for-3 during RBI at-bats on Tuesday.
Greer Holston was better than his line indicates. He was tagged for three runs, all coming from a Brent Rooker home run, during his six innings. But the fastball had nice life, and he spotted his offspeed the best since his start in Hattiesburg. Arms aren't the issue. He missed his spot to Rooker with two men on and got away with a poor location against Cody Brown, but otherwise he did his job. It just shows how little margin for error this is for Ole Miss pitchers in most games.
Brady Feigl was also sharp with his movement, but Rooker doubled off him to start the eighth. Cooper Johnson picked Rooker off, but second base umpire Ray Gregson missed the call, and Ryan Gridley knocked Rooker in moments later. Gregson helped Ole Miss out with a caught stealing call earlier, but that doesn't excuse an obvious miss that led to a run.
Speaking of Johnson, he's close to back to defensive form, and he has four hits in his last four games. He had a double and an RBI single tonight. The swings lately are more aggressive, and he seems to be gaining confidence. It couldn't come at a better time.
More on Cooper here
Only down one at the time, Ole Miss put runners on the corners with one out in the seventh, but pinch hitter Michael Fitzsimmons, who entered the game hitting .120 in 30 plate appearances against lefties, grounded into a double play to end the inning. However, that's not picking on Fitzsimmons. Ole Miss is only hitting .191 as a team against left-handers. There wasn't a great option, and Rowe hadn't had good swings in earlier at-bats.
All in all, it's a missed opportunity for an RPI victory and a winning streak going into Arkansas this weekend. The Rebels desperately need three of their next six league games, and they have to find a way to take advantage of numerous opportunities. State didn't play well or clean, but Ole Miss couldn't get the necessary production to accept the gifts.
As of this posting:
RPI: 43
Record vs. top 50: 6-12
Record vs. 51-100: 5-3
Record vs. 101-199: 11-0
Record vs. 200+: 3-1
Ole Miss had 3 sub-100 losses this morning, but Memphis moved from 103 to 97
