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Ole Miss has game with Southern Mississippi called due to unplayable field at Trustmark Park

11by:Jake Thompson•03/28/23•

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Brayden Jones and Ole Miss were unable to complete their game against Southern Mississippi in Pearl due to unplayable conditions at Trustmark Park on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of Ole Miss baseball)

Ole Miss and Southern Mississippi had their second meeting of the season prematurely ended due to some shaky field conditions at Trustmark Park in Pearl on Tuesday.

In the bottom of the fourth inning the game was called between the Rebels and Golden Eagles after Ole Miss reliever Brayden Jones slipped while trying to field a bunt Southern Miss’ Matthew Etzel.

Umpires met with Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco and Southern Miss head coach Scott Berry and after conferring for a few minutes with them and the stadium’s grounds crew a decision was made to call the game.

The Golden Eagles were leading the Rebels 2-1 at the time the game was ended, but it will officially be ruled a no contest. No immediate update on if the game would be rescheduled or resumed later in the season.

“Sod was flying up and (Ole Miss right fielder TJ) McCants lost his footing twice two trips around the bases,” Bianco said to Ole Miss radio after the game was called. “(Jones) there at the end. Credit the umpires because neither dugout complained, but they pulled us up (in the second inning) and said, ‘We don’t like what’s going on here.’ They pulled the grounds crew out to see if they could repair some of it and then they came up again and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to revisit this in another inning.'”

After Jones slipped trying to field the bunt the umpire crew then called the Southeastern Conference office and were told if the field is unplayable then the game needs to be called for player safety.

Prior to the game being called Ole Miss was having issues on the pitching mound once again.

Sam Tookoian got the start but did not make it out of the second inning. In 1.2 innings of work Tookoian gave up a run off two hits and four walks. He issued his last two walks with two outs in the second inning, before being lifted for Jones.

Ole Miss pitchers combined for five walks in the 3-plus innings of play.

As for the offense, the Rebels bats started coming alive after Southern Mississippi went to the bullpen. Starter Billy Oldham allowed a run off two hits but struck out three and walk another Ole Miss batter.

In the top of the third inning the Rebels broke through for its lone run off an Ethan Groff RBI-single scoring McCants.

Now, Ole Miss (15-9, 0-6 SEC) returns to Oxford and prepares for its SEC weekend series in College Station against Texas A&M (15-9, 1-5).

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