OXFORD – Ole Miss senior outfielder Tristan Bissetta hit his team-leading 12th and 13th home runs of the season Thursday night against No. 15 Kentucky, and junior ace Hunter Elliott threw 6 1/3 scoreless innings as the Rebels defeated the Wildcats 5-0 in the opener of their three-game series at Swayze Field.
Elliott had six strikeouts and two walks for Ole Miss (18-5, 2-2 SEC). He allowed four hits and made 94 pitches.
Elliott allowed a bloop single on the first pitch of the game but stranded Kentucky’s (18-3, 3-1) Jayce Tharnish at third. Bissetta hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first. Ole Miss loaded the bases in the third inning but did not score a run.
“It’s all about competing,” Bissetta said. “I think in this league you have to show up every day and, there’s some things with the swing, but just having your mind clear so you can compete. Hitting’s hard as it is, and just having that clear mind so you can give the team the best shot of winning.”
Bissetta led off the fifth inning with a laser shot to left-center that extended Ole Miss’ lead to 3-0. It was his fourth home run since Tuesday. After making a pair of spectacular plays at shortstop earlier in the game, junior Brayden Randle tripled down the first-base line and drove junior catcher Austin Fawley home in the bottom of the sixth.
Elliott exited the game with one out in the seventh inning, giving way to sophomore Taylor Rabe. Rabe pitched the final 2 2/3 innings and had four strikeouts. Senior first baseman Will Furniss led off the eighth with a home run to left.
“It’s super big (winning the series opener). B (head coach Mike Bianco) talks about it all the time, Friday night lights, man. Grabbing the momentum early, it’s super big. And I think the offense did exactly what you want,” Elliott said. “ … Bottom of the first inning … Thursday, big two-run home run. And that just is a gut punch, and that’s an early momentum that you want. But the big thing is, man, you have to win series in this league … you have to win two of three, you have to sweep. So we have to show up tomorrow ready to play.”
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