Southern Miss Snaps 5-Game Rebel Winning Streak on Wednesday

OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI/Ole Miss Athletics) – In a battle of two ranked teams, No. 8 Ole Miss suffered its first midweek loss of the season, falling 5-1 to No. 18 Southern Miss Wednesday night at Swayze Field. After five scoreless innings, the Golden Eagles (26-8) used a three-run eighth inning to avenge a loss to the Rebels (25-8) just eight days ago.

Right-handed pitcher James McArthur tossed 5.1 innings on the mound in his seventh midweek start. The freshman tallied five strikeouts while allowing only one run to score in the no decision. The one run marks the first run surrendered by McArthur against Southern Miss in 11.1 innings after his pitched six scoreless frames in last week’s outing versus the Golden Eagles.

Will Golsan added a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 on the evening. Sophomore Tate Blackman singled in the first to extend his reached base streak to 19 games hitting streak to eight games.

(Photo Courtesy: Petre Thomas, Ole Miss Athletics)

Stevie Powers started the game on the mound for USM, going 4.1 innings without allowing a run. Cody Livingston (2-2) picked up the win for the Golden Eagles, while Nick Sandlin (6) earned the save. At the plate, Time Lynch went 4-for-5, while Hunter Slater recorded three hits and knocked in a pair of runs.

During the duel of the starting pitchers, the Rebels and the Golden Eagles went back and forth with 1-2-3 innings. After five scoreless, USM chalked up the first run of the game in the top of the sixth inning as catcher Chuckie Robinson hit an RBI single to left field. After the run, Chad Smith took over the mound for McArthur and got the Rebels out of the inning.

Ole Miss responded in the bottom half of the seventh. Henri Lartigue worked the USM pitcher for a one-out walk. After a flyout, J.B. Woodman didn’t let the two outs stop him as he stepped up to the plate and ripped a RBI double to the left-center gap, scoring Lartigue and knotting the score at 1-1.

The Golden Eagles added four hits during the top of the eighth inning, tallying three runs to take the lead for good. Southern Miss plated another run in the top of the ninth to increase the margin to four. With Sandlin on the mound, the USM closer kept the Ole Miss bats at bay, snapping the Rebels’ five-game winning streak.

The Rebels will look to bounce back this weekend as they travel to Alabama for a weekend series against the Crimson Tide (April 15-17). All three games will be broadcast on SECN+ and can also be heard on the Ole Miss IMG Sports Network.

QUICK HITS

• The USM run in the sixth broke a streak of 16.0 straight scoreless innings by James McArthur, dating back to the first inning versus UT Martin (3/22).
• McArthur’s run allowed was his first surrendered against Southern Miss in 11.1 innings over two starts.
• Tate Blackman increased his reached base streak to 19 games, also earning a hit for the eighth straight game.
• The Rebels suffered their first midweek loss of the season.
• Ole Miss is now 19-2 in non-conference games.
• Freshman Ryan Olenek made his first start at third base, while sophomore Will Golsan made his Ole Miss debut at left field.