Ole Miss managed just four hits off Alabama pitching Saturday afternoon as the No. 18 Crimson Tide defeated the No. 15 Rebels 6-2 in Tuscaloosa in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Previously on the regional hosting bubble, Ole Miss (36-20, 15-15 SEC) would likely need a run at the SEC Tournament to avoid a No. 2 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Less than 24 hours after sophomore Taylor Rabe delivered a six-inning, 13-strikeout, one-hit performance, sophomore Cade Townsend had an uneven 3 2/3 innings for the Rebels. He surrendered five earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Townsend has surrendered 11 runs over his last two starts (seven total innings).
For Alabama (37-18, 18-12), Myles Upchurch pitched a career-high seven innings and surrendered two earned runs with seven strikeouts and two walks.
The Crimson Tide made Townsend work in the first inning, forcing the Southern California native to make 24 pitches while scoring one run on a Justin Lebron double. The first three Rebel batters reached on Upchurch in the third, and junior second baseman Dom Decker tied the game with a single to left field. With the bases still loaded, senior outfielder Tristan Bissetta put the Rebels in front with a sacrifice fly.
John Lemm tied the game with his two-out RBI single in the bottom of the third, and the Crimson Tide proceeded to retake the lead with a three-run fourth inning that knocked Townsend out of the game. Eric Hines hit a solo home run to centerfield in the fifth to give Alabama a four-run lead.
Sophomore Walker Hooks pitched the final 3 1/3 innings for Ole Miss, surrendering just two hits and no runs.
Ole Miss began play in the SEC Tournament at 9:30 a.m. today as the No. 9 seed against No. 16 seed Missouri. The winner gets Mississippi State on Wednesday.
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