Hoover, Ala. — On Friday, the Ole Miss Rebels were able to exorcise a few demons with a 10-7 victory over the Auburn Tigers. Today, the LSU Tigers will get the same chance after being swept during the regular season. For the second day in a row rain has pushed back Ole Miss’ game, but as of right now we’re looking at an 11 a.m. start time. Today’s Southeastern Conference Baseball Tournament game will be televised on SportsSouth.Because of the threat of rain in the area throughout the day, all games today have been shortened to seven innings.
If Ole Miss is able to make it four straight against the Tigers, it will have to play LSU a second time at 5 p.m. because they have yet to lose in the tournament.
LOOKING BACK: Remember when the Rebels swept LSU in Oxford? Here’s a look at Ole Miss’ three-game sweep of the Tigers earlier this year.
—Rebels keep finding ways to win.
—Rebels rally late to win game, earn sweep.
—Snyder OK after being bumped in celebration.
—Rebels rally to take Game 2.
—Rebels win slug-fest in Game 1 vs. LSU.
LINEUPS:
OLE MISS (38-21 overall)
CF Tim Ferguson
3B Zach Miller
DH Matt Snyder
1B Matt Smith
RF David Phillips
2B Alex Yarbrough
LF Taylor Hashman
C Miles Hamblin
SS Kevin Mort
RHP Rory McKean (4-1, 5.29 ERA)
LSU (38-20 overall)
RF Mikie Mahtook
2B Tyler Hanover
1B Blake Dean
C Micah Gibbs
SS Austin Nola
CF Leon Landry
DH Matt Gaudet
3B Alex Edward
LF Mason Katz
RHP Ben Alsup (3-0, 4.33 ERA)
SCORING SUMMARY:
Ole Miss 0, LSU 1 (Bottom 1st): LSU takes advantage of a Tim Ferguson fielding error. Blake Dean hit a deep sacrifice fly to left field that scored Mikie Mahtook without a throw from third base. After surrendering singles to Mahtook and Tyler Hanover, and Blake’s sacrifice fly, Ole Miss starter Rory McKean settled in to strikeout Micah Gibbs and force Austin Nola to strike out to end the inning.
Ole Miss 0, LSU 4 (Bottom 3rd): LSU got its offense cranked back up in the third, scoring three runs on three hits and one walk. Hanover got the offense going with a run-scoring single that scored Mason Katz from third. Dean then scored Mahtook with his second sacrifice fly of the game. Two at-bats later, a double by Nola scored Hanover to put the Tigers lead at 4-0.
Ole Miss 0, LSU 5 (Bottom 5th): Dean homers to lead off the fifth inning to make it 5-0.
Ole Miss 0, LSU 8 (Bottom 6th): A RBI-single by Katz that scored Alex Edward, and a Hanover double into the left field corner that scored Katz and Mahtook pushed LSU’s lead to 8-0. Freshman left-hander Jordan Cooper was called on out of the pen following the double and after a walk, he was able to get a pop-out and a double play to end the frame.
Ole Miss would go scoreless in the top of the seventh to close out the game.
Ben Alsup, in his first start against an SEC opponent, would allow just one run and two walks in the complete game shutout of Ole Miss, striking out seven in the process.
McKean would earn the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) in 2.2 innings.
With the loss, Ole Miss will now have to sit and wait to see where it will travel for the NCAA Tournament. Host sites will be announced on Sunday, while the full field of 64 will be released on Monday.
The selection show will be televised on ESPN at 11:30 a.m. (May 29, 2010)
