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No. 17 Ole Miss continues to mount comebacks, taking the series over Jacksonville State

11by:Jake Thompson•about 21 hours•

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Ole Miss outfielder Mitchell Sanford. Mandatory credit: Ole Miss athletics

With the bulk of non-conference play in the books No. 17 Ole Miss looks like a different team than the previous two years. There are still some concerns but overall the makeup of the team is different.

For example, this week the Rebels have had to mount comebacks in all three games played. This is something previous teams might not have been able to accomplish.

Saturday’s 12-4 win over Jacksonville State was the latter and gave Ole Miss (13-1) its 12th straight win and third straight series victory with two final Southeastern Conference tune ups remaining.

Riley Maddox took the mound for his traditional Saturday start but faced non-traditional circumstances in the early stages of the game. After the Gamecocks (10-5) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, which saw Maddox strand a pair of runners, the Rebels answered immediately.

A five-run bottom of the first inning broke the game open for Ole Miss, which knocked out starter Jackson Phipps after 0.1 inning of work due to an injury. Reliever Ryan Gerahty was allotted all the time he needed to warm up and get ready, leading to a 44-minute inning.

Maddox killed the time by throwing some down the first base line before he got the chance to pitch again. He ended working five innings for a third straight outing, allowing only the run on two hits and struck out four.

“It’s not every game you have to wait around 30 minutes, but it’s okay,” Maddox said. “It helps when you get five runs and start the game like that.”

Offensively, Ole Miss scored nine runs the first two innings and then went scoreless the following four. Eventually the scoring returned with a double by designated hitter Ryan Moerman for two runs batted in in followed by center fielder Isaac Humphrey walking in a run.

Humphrey also had a 2-RBI double as part of the five-run first inning. First baseman Will Furniss went 2-for-4 with a 2-RBI single in the first inning. Right fielder Mitchell Sanford and catcher Austin Fawley each had 2-RBI home runs in the second inning.

All four of Fawley’s hits this season have been home runs.

“Unfortunate for (Jacksonville State) and a little bit of our good fortune early on when Phipps had to leave the game with an injury,” Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said. “We get a couple walks on runs but, really, I thought the ballgame was all about Humphrey early. Big double and then (Furniss) right after him when they went to the bullpen.”

Patrick Galle was the first out of the pen for the Rebels, relieving Maddox to start the sixth inning. The outing did not go well for Galle as he lasted two outs, giving up three earned runs off three hits and walked another batter.

Ryne Rodriguez and Walker Hooks worked the final 3.1 innings and kept the Gamecocks off the board.

Ole Miss will go for the sweep on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. CT to close out the opening homestand before heading to Mobile to play South Alabama on Tuesday to wrap up the non-conference season in bulk.

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