Rebels Clinch SEC West With Rubber Match Win Over Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (Ole Miss Athletics) — One day after being shutout for the first time all season, No. 4 Ole Miss baseball exploded for 10 runs on 12 hits to take down Alabama, 10-8, and in the process, win the SEC West Division title on the final day of regular season play.

The Rebels finished SEC play with an 18-12 record and secured the No. 2 seed in the upcoming SEC Tournament. Ole Miss’ 42 victories also set a program record for most regular season wins in school history.

Ole Miss grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the first inning when Cole Zabowski took the first pitch he saw and doubled to left center to score Nick Fortes and Thomas Dillard.

It was just the beginning of Zabowski’s monster day as the sophomore from Lawrenceville, Georgia, finished the day 4-for-5 and a career-high six RBI. Zabowski was just a triple short of hitting for the cycle.

Alabama would use a solo home run in the first and then another solo bomb in the second to tie the game at 2-2.

Ole Miss would grab the lead back the next inning as the Rebels strung several hits together to have a big fourth inning. Fortes worked a one-out walk and would come around to score after a wild pitch and a Dillard double. Zabowski gave Ole Miss a 5-2 lead as he sent a ball over the right field wall for his ninth home run of the season.

The third inning hit parade continued for Ole Miss as Will Golsan singled and then scored on a single from Tyler Kennan. The Rebels would have to wait out a two-hour rain delay before finishing the third inning and game.

With Ole Miss leading 6-2 after the delay, Will Ethridge came on in relief for Rebel starter James McArthur. South Carolina loaded the bases with just one out, but Ethridge got a strikeout and fly out to limit the damage to just two runs.

Fortes once again provide some insurance for Ole Miss in the sixth inning as he singled through the left side to score Jacob Adams. Adams was one of three Rebels to tally multiple hits in the game and he finished with two runs scored.

Alabama answered Ole Miss’ runs with two of its own in the bottom of the sixth to pull within 7-6 and threatened the tie the game in the seventh after a leadoff walk. Ole Miss called upon the arm of Greer Holston to try and stimmy the Alabama rally. Holston would get a big 6-4-3 double play and fly out to get the Rebels out of the inning.

Ole Miss closer, Parker Caracci, came into the game in the eighth to try and slam the door on Alabama. Caracci would allow two runs, but struck out two in his 1.1 innings of work to preserve the Ole Miss victory.

The SEC West title is Ole Miss’ first division title since it in 2014.

The Rebels now turn their attention to the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Alabama. Ole Miss will have a first round bye and won’t play until Wednesday, May 23 where they will face the winner of the Auburn/Kentucky game in the No. 7/10 matchup.

QUICK HITS
– Ole Miss wins the SEC West title for the first time 2014.
– The Rebels finished SEC play at 18-12 and earned the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament.
– Ole Miss will have a bye to start the SEC Tournament and will face the winner of the Auburn/Kentucky game.
– The game was delayed two hours due to lightning in the Tuscaloosa area.
– Cole Zabowski tallied a career-high in hits (four) and RBI (six) in the win.
– Zabowski also hit his ninth home run of the season and has sole possession of third place of the team in that category.
– Jacob Adams recorded a career-high with three runs scored.