Texas A&M hit a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning and added a solo home run in the eighth to take the opening game of the series, beating Ole Miss, 8-4, on Friday. Game two is at 7 pm. Saturday from Blue Bell Park.
"There's enough blame to go around," Mike Bianco said. "We had three innings left on a Friday again and just can't hold it. We can't make plays and can't make pitches. I made a bad pitch call on the grand slam and tried to sneak a fastball in there. It's on me, too."
Here's the deal, and it's not complicated: Ole Miss isn't good enough in any phase right now consistently, and some parts are making it impossible to win depending on the day. The stats are gruesome as far as the losing streak. The Rebels are playing bad baseball and haven't had a streak like this under Bianco.
It's the first time, if my quick research is correct, Ole Miss has started a season 0-7 in the SEC since going 0-10 in 1935. It's the most consecutive SEC losses in a season since the 1997 team had a nine-game losing streak and a 13-game losing streak. Mike Bianco's worst three-week SEC stretch is 1-8 in 2002. The Rebels have lost eight straight league games dating back to the loss to Texas A&M to close the 2022 regular season.
Jack Dougherty gave the Rebels a chance on Friday. It's not the best role for him, but he lasted six innings and was efficient, throwing 93 pitches. Two of the runs came via the home run, and he scattered six hits. He would likely have come back out for the seventh, but a lightning delay ended that option. He really competes. It's why he's so good in the bullpen.
It was a catastrophic few minutes when the game resumed. Mitch Murrell relieved Dougherty, and a bunt single started the inning. Ethan Lege threw the ball away, allowing the runner to move to second. Murrell then, two batters later, threw the ball past Anthony Calarco at first base. Ole Miss intentionally walked Jack Moss to load the bases. The ball didn't leave the infield and TAMU had the bases loaded and one out. After Murrell got a strikeout for the second out, a grand slam followed, and that was that.
Two errors and the giving up a home run comprised the climactic inning, but Ole Miss wasted so many chances offensively, setting up that possibility.
Ethan Groff was picked off just before Jacob Gonzalez's home run in the first inning.
Ole Miss took a 4-3 lead in the sixth and had runners at second and third with no one out. It was a prime chance to blow it open, but TJ McCants, Lege and Groff all struck out to strand the runners. Ole Miss was 4-for-18 with runners on base and 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position. The Rebels were 0-for-2 in scoring a runner from third with fewer than two outs. Seven of Ole Miss' final 12 outs were strikeouts.
Starting pitching wasn't the problem. It was the second series opener in a row when the Rebels go to the bullpen late in the game with a lead. The bullpen didn't hold it, though the defensive miscues have caused massive issues in two of the SEC losses this season. This was there for the offense to take and win. Remove the errors and Ole Miss had a lead in the eighth inning. Instead of finding ways to win, Ole Miss is making the mistakes to lose. That's where it is currently.
It's a big test for the new leadership on this team. Ole Miss survived the middle of last season because of Tim Elko, Kevin Graham and Justin Bench. Those guys are gone, and it's up to the upperclassmen to keep it from spiraling. Some of tonight's mistakes were mental more than physical. There's just not the margin for that to be the case.
Kemp Alderman hit a two-run home run in the ninth with two outs. Anthony Calarco gave Ole Miss a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning with a home run.
Xavier Rivas gets the ball and a substantial amount of pressure tomorrow. He's been the Rebels' best starter. If he can replicate that, it's up to the offense and and defense and bullpen to make it matter.
"There's enough blame to go around," Mike Bianco said. "We had three innings left on a Friday again and just can't hold it. We can't make plays and can't make pitches. I made a bad pitch call on the grand slam and tried to sneak a fastball in there. It's on me, too."
Here's the deal, and it's not complicated: Ole Miss isn't good enough in any phase right now consistently, and some parts are making it impossible to win depending on the day. The stats are gruesome as far as the losing streak. The Rebels are playing bad baseball and haven't had a streak like this under Bianco.
It's the first time, if my quick research is correct, Ole Miss has started a season 0-7 in the SEC since going 0-10 in 1935. It's the most consecutive SEC losses in a season since the 1997 team had a nine-game losing streak and a 13-game losing streak. Mike Bianco's worst three-week SEC stretch is 1-8 in 2002. The Rebels have lost eight straight league games dating back to the loss to Texas A&M to close the 2022 regular season.
Jack Dougherty gave the Rebels a chance on Friday. It's not the best role for him, but he lasted six innings and was efficient, throwing 93 pitches. Two of the runs came via the home run, and he scattered six hits. He would likely have come back out for the seventh, but a lightning delay ended that option. He really competes. It's why he's so good in the bullpen.
It was a catastrophic few minutes when the game resumed. Mitch Murrell relieved Dougherty, and a bunt single started the inning. Ethan Lege threw the ball away, allowing the runner to move to second. Murrell then, two batters later, threw the ball past Anthony Calarco at first base. Ole Miss intentionally walked Jack Moss to load the bases. The ball didn't leave the infield and TAMU had the bases loaded and one out. After Murrell got a strikeout for the second out, a grand slam followed, and that was that.
Two errors and the giving up a home run comprised the climactic inning, but Ole Miss wasted so many chances offensively, setting up that possibility.
Ethan Groff was picked off just before Jacob Gonzalez's home run in the first inning.
Ole Miss took a 4-3 lead in the sixth and had runners at second and third with no one out. It was a prime chance to blow it open, but TJ McCants, Lege and Groff all struck out to strand the runners. Ole Miss was 4-for-18 with runners on base and 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position. The Rebels were 0-for-2 in scoring a runner from third with fewer than two outs. Seven of Ole Miss' final 12 outs were strikeouts.
Starting pitching wasn't the problem. It was the second series opener in a row when the Rebels go to the bullpen late in the game with a lead. The bullpen didn't hold it, though the defensive miscues have caused massive issues in two of the SEC losses this season. This was there for the offense to take and win. Remove the errors and Ole Miss had a lead in the eighth inning. Instead of finding ways to win, Ole Miss is making the mistakes to lose. That's where it is currently.
It's a big test for the new leadership on this team. Ole Miss survived the middle of last season because of Tim Elko, Kevin Graham and Justin Bench. Those guys are gone, and it's up to the upperclassmen to keep it from spiraling. Some of tonight's mistakes were mental more than physical. There's just not the margin for that to be the case.
Kemp Alderman hit a two-run home run in the ninth with two outs. Anthony Calarco gave Ole Miss a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning with a home run.
Xavier Rivas gets the ball and a substantial amount of pressure tomorrow. He's been the Rebels' best starter. If he can replicate that, it's up to the offense and and defense and bullpen to make it matter.
