LOOK: Former MLB pitcher Ben McDonald reacts to Tim Elko home run
After Ole Miss infielder Tim Elko blasted a two-run shot out of the ballpark in the second inning to increase the Rebels lead against Arkansas, Ben McDonald was amazed. The former MLB and LSU pitcher took to Twitter to share his excitement with baseball fans.
“Lawd! The Captain (Tim Elko) just destroys one,” McDonald tweeted.
The homer was Elko’s 23rd of the season and put the Rebels up 4-1 in the top of the second inning. Arkansas would eventually score two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning before Ole Miss answered again in the third. The score is currently 6-3 in favor of the Rebels in the bottom of the third.
McDonald is a very accomplished athlete who also played basketball during his time at LSU. He helped lead the Tigers to two College World Series appearances and was also a member of the 1988 gold medal-winning Olympic baseball team. He later went on to play for the Baltimore Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers of the MLB and was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008.
It would certainly be interesting to see what would happen if Ben McDonald got a chance to throw a pitch Tim Elko’s way. The homer was Elko’s 23rd of the season and the 45th of his career. He is now just three more home runs away from tying Kyle Gordon for the all-time program record in long balls. His 23 home runs this season are already the most by any Ole Miss player in a single season.
If Ole Miss hangs on to win Monday, it will be just one more victory away from reaching the College World Series final. The winner from Monday will get an extra day off before taking the field Wednesday, while the loser will have a quick turnaround and play Tuesday evening.