No. 11 Ole Miss scored six runs before an out was recorded in the first inning Saturday against South Carolina and seven in the inning overall — highlighted by a grand slam from sophomore catcher Austin Fawley — and the Rebels avoided a series sweep with a 12-2 win in seven innings at Founders Park. The win snaps the Rebels’ (28-12, 10-8 SEC) four-game losing streak. Ole Miss has now surpassed last season’s win total.
The Rebels hit four home runs in the game, including two from senior left fielder Mitchell Sanford.
The first five Ole Miss batters reached on South Carolina (23-18, 4-14) starter Jarvis Evans Jr., who was knocked out of the game in the first inning after failing to record an out while surrendering five earned runs.
After going 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position over the first two games of the series, the Rebels went 5 for 11 with runners in scoring position in the finale and drew 10 walks.
Sanford led off the game with a solo home run on a full count, the second leadoff home run for the Rebels in as many games. Ole Miss would go on to score six more runs in the inning, which included Fawley’s grand slam. It’s Fawley’s fifth home run in six games.
Senior starter Mason Nichols surrendered a two-run home run in the second to Beau Hollins but was nearly flawless over the rest of his start. He went five innings and allowed two earned runs with three strikeouts and three walks.
Junior first baseman Will Furniss launched a solo home run to center field on the second pitch of the sixth. With two outs and runners on second and third later in the inning, freshman designated hitter Hayden Federico singled in a pair of runs. Sanford led off the top of the seventh with his second home run of the day, and an RBI single from junior third baseman Judd Utermark put the game in run-rule territory.
Ole Miss plays Mississippi State in Pearl tonight at 6 p.m.
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