Ole Miss Baseball Completes Perfect Weekend in South Carolina

CONWAY, S.C. (WCBI/Ole Miss Athletics) — The No. 13 Ole Miss baseball team wrapped up the Chanticleer Classic with a 7-1 win over the University of Cincinnati Sunday afternoon at Springs Brooks Stadium. Thanks in part to a six-run second inning, the Rebels (10-1) held an early 7-0 lead and never looked back, completing the tournament sweep.

“You never know what to expect going on the road for the first time, but we played really well this weekend,” said head coach Mike Bianco. “I’m really proud of the way our guys came out and were very business-like all weekend long.”

Redshirt-junior Sean Johnson (3-0) turned in a phenomenal performance on the mound. In six innings of work, Johnson allowed just one hit and issued one walk, retiring the final 17 batters he faced. The trio of Matt Denny, Andrew Lowe and Connor Green pitched the remaining three innings. As a staff, the Rebel arms surrendered just two hits and allowed only four baserunners throughout the ballgame.

Ole Miss recorded 11 hits, including four doubles, to score at least seven runs for the fourth straight game. Eight Rebels in the starting lineup tallied a hit on the afternoon. Freshman designated hitter Ryan Olenek led the way, going a perfect 3-for-3. Colby Bortles and Cameron Dishon had two RBI apiece, and sophomore Will Golsan scored twice on his birthday.

(Photo Courtesy: Josh McCoy, Ole Miss Athletics)

For the sixth time this season, the Rebels scored in the first inning, wasting no time putting a number up on the scoreboard. Golsan became the first Ole Miss baserunner by drawing a one-out walk. J.B. Woodman followed with a double off the right field wall to put two Rebels in scoring position. A flyball by Bortles was deep enough for a sac fly that scored Golsan as Ole Miss plated the game’s first run.

Cincinnati tried to answer in the bottom half of the first, putting runners on the corners. However, Nick Fortes erased any chance of the Bearcats scoring when he threw out a runner trying to steal second, ending the inning.

Ole Miss kept the momentum as the bats ignited in the second. Fortes and Olenek kicked off the inning with base hits before Kyle Watson reached base on a sacrifice bunt to load the bases. Back-to-back doubles by Dishon and Errol Robinson scored three Rebels, while a Golsan single brought in another Ole Miss run. A pair of sac flies completed the six-run inning, and the Rebels found themselves ahead 7-0 after two.

With a comfortable lead, Johnson went into cruise control. After getting out of a jam in the first, the tall righty retired 17 UC hitters consecutively to end his day.

Cincinnati chalked up a run in the seventh as a passed ball allowed the Bearcats to end any hopes of a shutout. However, that’s all they would get as the Ole Miss bullpen kept the UC bats quiet to end the game.

Following a weekend at the Chanticleer Classic, Ole Miss returns to the friendly confines of Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field for five homes games in a six-day span. First, the Rebels host Southeast Missouri for a pair of midweek games, March 8-9. Grambling State will be in Oxford for the weekend, battling the Rebels for three games, March 11-13. All games can be seen on SEC Network+.

QUICK HITS

• Ole Miss faced Cincinnati for the first time in program history.
• The Rebels scored in the first inning for the sixth time; they are 6-0 this season when scoring in the opening frame.
• Ole Miss is outscoring opponents 19-5 in the first inning this season.
• The Rebels have scored at least four runs in an inning in six different games this season, including three games scoring at least six runs in one inning.
• Ole Miss scored at least seven runs for the fourth-straight game.
• First career multi-hit game for Ryan Olenek.
• Senior and team captain Matt Denny made his 2016 debut.
• Ole Miss pitching allowed just six runs (four earned) throughout the three-game weekend.