HOOVER, Ala. — Mike Mayers pitched seven scoreless innings before giving way to Brett Huber in the University of Mississippi baseball team’s 2-0 win against the University of Arkansas on Wednesday in an elimination game at the Southeastern Conference tournament at Regions Park.
The win pushed Ole Miss (35-23) into a matchup against No. 2 LSU at 9:30 a.m. today.
Mayers (5-3) struck out eight and walked one while scattering five hits. The sophomore right-hander has pitched 13 1/3 scoreless innings against Arkansas. He also earned a 1-0 win against the Razorbacks in the regular season.
Huber, a junior right-hander, earned his 10th save of the season and 26th of his career to tie three-time All-American Stephen Head (2003-06) for the school’s all-time save record. Huber gave up a hit and struck out three in the final two innings.
“We played terrific today in a real grind-it-out game,” Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco said. “Mike (Mayers) was tremendous for us and then Huber just shut the door on them the final two innings. It’s been a tough 10 days. We’re glad to win one.”
Ole Miss got on the board in the fourth inning when Zach Kirksey scored from third on a groundout to second from Sikes Orvis. Kirksey opened the inning with a triple off the wall in right center to set up the scoring play.
The Rebels added a second run in the seventh when Kirksey came up with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to center field to score Tanner Mathis. Mathis started the inning with an infield single — his 22nd of the year — before a single to left center from Alex Yarbrough put two men on. Matt Snyder then singled to right to load the bases for Kirksey, who made it 2-0 with his sacrifice fly.
The Rebels didn’t allow a batter to advance past second base in the game, and allowed only two runners to advance past first.
It was the ninth shutout win of the season for Ole Miss, and third against an SEC team.
Arkansas starting pitcher DJ Baxendale (7-4) gave up just one run on four hits and struck out five in six innings.
Brian Anderson had two hits to lead the Razorbacks (39-19). Bo Bigham, Tim Carver, Jacob Mahan, and Jake Wise each had one hit.
Yarbrough had a game-high three hits to lead Ole Miss. Zach Kirksey was 1-for-2 with a RBI and a run scored.
The Razorbacks had a chance to grab the early lead in the top of the third, but came up empty. Wise began the inning with a double down the left-field line. After the next two batters struck out, Dominic Ficociello was intentionally walked to put runners on first and second. Matt Reynolds hit a fielder’s choice to third as Ficociello was retired at second.
In the ninth, Arkansas pushed the tying run to the plate, but couldn’t score. Mahan singled with one out, but Huber retired Bigham and pinch hitter Michael Gunn to end the game.
Arkansas will learn its NCAA tournament fate at 11 a.m. Monday (ESPNU) when the field of 64 is announced.
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