Jacob Gonzalez delivers four hits as No. 1 Ole Miss upends Memphis, 11-8, in midweek action
Staff and Wire Reports | A seven-run second inning lifted Ole Miss past Memphis on Wednesday as Ole Miss won its midweek matchup with the Tigers 11-8 at Swayze Field.
Starting pitcher Jack Washburn delivered 3.1 innings with five runs allowed on four hits. Freshman Riley Maddox earned his second win in relief with a strong 1.2 inning outing, striking out four.
“Anytime you go out there and compete the way I did tonight, I’m pleased with it,” Maddox said. “Glad it went my way tonight. (Ole Miss head) Coach B(ianco) came up to me before the game and he was like, ‘You’re going to pitch tonight. I want you to throw more inside fastballs.’ That’s kind of my M.O, but I haven’t done it recently.
“That’s what I did tonight. That was my game plan. I think it caught the hitters off-guard being able to go inside with 93, 94 (miles per hour) and just break slider off or change-up. Mixed up their timing.”
After a Justin Bench double in the first gave the Rebels a 1-0 lead, Memphis (12-6) responded with a four-run top of the second. The Rebels (16-4), however, had a response, exploding for seven runs in the home half to re-seize control.
“We swung it well,” Bench, who reached base five times, including three hits and two walks, said. “We had 14 hits. They swung it well, too. Credit to them. Today we were focused on Memphis, but now we’ve got Tennessee coming into town. We’re ready to get after it.”
“They’re a good club, especially offensively,” Bianco said of Memphis. “A team that’s going to win a lot of games. Maybe Riley’s best night as a Rebel. He’s got some really good stuff. It’s tough to pitch as a freshman. He’s going to have a lot of nights like this in his future. Tremendous stuff.”
Jacob Gonzalez got the scoring started with a bases loaded bloop to center, bringing home a pair.
Bench followed with a two-run single to give the Rebels the lead once again at 5-4. Ole Miss scored the final three of the frame without a hit, plating runs on a passed ball, a Reagan Burford RBI ground out and a Hayden Dunhurst sacrifice fly.
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The Rebels took advantage of a pair of Tiger throwing errors to tack on two more in the third, with Ben Van Cleve and Gonzalez crossing the plate.
Memphis pulled a single run back in the fourth and sixth innings before Burford got another Rebel run across with a single to center field, scoring Bench.
The Tigers drew to within three runs in the eighth, scoring a pair on an RBI single and a wild pitch.
With the game on the line, Rebel closer Brandon Johnson closed the door in the ninth by striking out the side for his third save of the season.
Ole Miss turns its attention to a top-5 matchup at Swayze Field this weekend. The Rebels will host Tennessee in a three-game series Friday through Sunday. Friday and Sunday’s games can be streamed on SEC Network +, while Saturday’s affair will be televised live on the SEC Network.
All three games can be heard on the Ole Miss Radio Network.
“Certainly one of the best teams in the country,” Bianco said of Tennessee. “I know it’s going to be a tremendous crowd, and I know our guys are excited.”
