Video: Ole Miss Shuts-Out Nicholls at MGM Park in Biloxi

BILOXI, Miss. (WCBI/Ole Miss Athletics) – Playing on the Mississippi Coast for the first time in 106 years, No. 14 Ole Miss increased its shutout streak to four games with a 5-0 win over Nicholls Tuesday night at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi. The Rebels (12-5) broke out the bats, while their pitching limited the Colonels (9-7) to only four hits.

For the sixth consecutive game, an Ole Miss starting pitcher did not allow a run. The streak began last Tuesday with Ryan Rolison, and the freshman continued what he started with a career-long 6.0 innings on the mound. The Jackson, Tennessee native, surrendered only four hits and a walk, while tallying a career-high seven strikeouts in his second start.

At the plate, Ole Miss reached double digits in hits. Tate Blackman used a two-run homer and a triple to knock in three runs to lead the way. Will Golsan, Thomas Dillard and Bryan Seamster added two hits apiece, with Dillard hitting his second home run of the season. Along with his multi-hit game, Seamster made a pair of spectacular catches in left field, his first start as a Rebel.

The Rebels jumped on the board right away. Rolison pitched a scoreless first before Blackman belted his two-run homer to give Ole Miss a 2-0 lead. Golsan led off the inning with an infield single. Two batters later, Blackman sent a blast that soared over the scoreboard in left field to put the Rebels in front.

The top of the order doubled the Ole Miss advantage in the top of the third. Golsan started the scoring frame once again with an infield single. Then Blackman nearly left the yard for the second time, but the ball caromed off the wall as the second baseman motored to third. Golsan scored easily, and Colby Bortles followed with a sacrifice fly to make in 4-0 in favor of Ole Miss.

After retiring the side in back-to-back innings, Rolison added a scoreless sixth to finish his impressive outing. In the bottom half of the frame, Dillard smoked a ball into the left-center gap that easily cleared the fence. The solo homer increased the Rebels lead to 5-0.

A trio of Rebels finished the game on the rubber, allowing only one Colonel to reach base through the final three frames. Connor Green worked a perfect seventh, striking out two. Houston Roth followed with a scoreless eighth, and redshirt-senior Sean Johnson made his 2017 debut with a 1-2-3 ninth to solidify a win on the coast.

Following the midweek contest, the Rebels will return home to lift the lid on Southeastern Conference play by hosting No. 15 Vanderbilt (March 17-19). The first two games of the series will air on SECN+, while the series finale will be a national television broadcast. Friday’s contest will begin at 7 p.m. before an afternoon matinee is set for 1:30 p.m. Saturday. To close out the weekend, the Rebels and Commodores will square off at 3 p.m. on SEC Network.

Quick Hits

• The Rebels played a game on the Mississippi Coast for the first time since 1911.
• For the sixth straight game, an Ole Miss starting pitcher tossed a scoreless outing (43.2 innings).
• Ole Miss has recorded a shutout in five of its past six games.
• Freshman Ryan Rolison pitched 6.0 innings and struck out seven, both career highs.
• With his two-run homer in the first, Tate Blackman became the 10th Rebel to hit a home run this season.
• Blackman recorded the first Ole Miss triple of the year in the bottom of the third.
• Freshman Bryan Seamster made his first start as a Rebel, getting the nod in left field; he added two hits for his first multi-hit game of his career.
• From the right side, Thomas Dillard hit his second homer of the season in the sixth; the freshman switch hitter now has hit one home run from each side of the plate.
• Redshirt-senior Sean Johnson made his 2017 debut, retiring the side in the top of the ninth.