OXFORD – As the postseason inches closer and closer, Ole Miss didn’t need reassurance it could compete with the top teams in the country. But this weekend sure didn’t hurt.
No. 6 Auburn scored seven runs in the sixth and seventh innings combined Saturday against the Rebels, and the Tigers staved off a sweep in the regular-series finale between the teams with a 13-8 win at Swayze Field. Ole Miss clinched the series after winning games Thursday and Friday.
The Rebels have two top-10 series wins this season.
“I don’t think anybody in that dugout needed that this weekend … to show that we could beat anybody in the country. I think we’ve always felt that,” head coach Mike Bianco said. “But it was probably good for everybody else to see that as well, that we’re a good team. When we play well and we show up (and) we play hard, we can play with anybody.”
The Rebels led 8-3 after five innings Saturday, but Auburn tied the game with a five-run sixth inning and broke the tie with a two-run seventh. Ole Miss was held without a run over the final four innings.
Senior left fielder Mitchell Sanford and senior center fielder Isaac Humphrey each hit home runs in the loss, and Humphrey had a team-high five RBIs.
The Rebels (37-18, 16-14 SEC) committed three errors in the game, leading to four unearned runs.
“Obviously the three errors stick out,” Bianco said. “And it’s true, we have to make those plays. But there’s enough blame to go around. We got off to a hot start … and their closer came in, and we didn’t do much in the second half of the game.”
Senior Mason Nichols pitched 3 1/3 innings and surrendered three earned runs. He left the game in the fourth inning with an oblique injury, per Bianco. Bianco said he is unsure of the severity.
Sanford led off the bottom of the first with a home run, a 3-2 pitch he took to deep right. Auburn (38-17, 17-13) loaded the bases on Nichols with one out in the third, and Eric Guevara hit a deep fly ball to senior right fielder Ryan Moerman. Moerman launched a perfect strike to cut Chase Fralick out at home and keep the Tigers scoreless in the inning.
Auburn scored three runs in the fourth – Ike Irish tied the game with a towering solo home run to center field, and Bristol Carter hit a two-out, two-run single with the bases loaded. The Rebels got runners on the corners in the bottom of the inning, and Humphrey responded with a towering three-run home run into the batter’s eye to put Ole Miss back in front. The Rebels scored four more runs in the fifth, capped off by a two-run, two-out double from Humphrey.
Auburn scored five runs in the sixth to tie the game, with three of the runs coming with two outs. Chris Rembert gave Auburn a 9-8 lead with his scoring single in the seventh, and a balk with a runner on third drove in another. The Tigers scored three additional runs in the ninth.
Ole Miss starts play in the SEC Tournament on Wednesday, having earned a first-round bye.
“You’ve heard me say this. There’s good and bad in everything. And it’s one of those years where it tested us,” Bianco said. “And you don’t just get these show-up medals, but you have to be able to compete in this league. This league’s relentless. And I’m proud of our guys. We’ve had games like this, and we’ve had games get away from us where we’ve had a lead. But they’ve handled it. They’ve handled the adversity that this league will give you. … They’ve kept showing up every weekend.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
