On3 Things to Know: Transfer trio has kept an already-powerful Ole Miss offense slugging along
The defending-champion Ole Miss baseball team has won five straight games following an impressive 11-5 takedown of No. 22 Southern Miss on Tuesday.
The Rebels have won four in a row in the historically-hotly-contested in-state rivalry series. Their dominance over the Golden Eagles, however, dates back to last postseason, when Ole Miss won 10 of its 11 NCAA Tournament games.
Two came in a Super Regional Southern Miss hosted.
“One of the best (crowds) ever on a Tuesday night,” Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said afterwards. “Two really good programs and our history as far as postseason the last few years, I think this is one of those the fans circled.
“It was a neat atmosphere.”
The Rebels (10-2) are, again, ranked No. 4 in the country, and they’ve continued their dominant, now-months-long run mostly with an unrelenting and powerful lineup. Ole Miss is currently one of only two teams in the NCAA with four every-day starters hitting at or above .400.
But the 2023 iteration of the the Rebels aren’t getting it done with all-time greats Tim Elko, Kevin Graham and Justin Bench — multi-year starters and lineup linchpins.
They’re obviously still leaning on do-everything (and star) shortstop Jacob Gonzalez. Returning sluggers Kemp Alderman and Calvin Harris are also delivering in their draft-eligible seasons, while TJ McCants is trending towards the star turn Ole Miss thought it was getting in the third-year outfielder last season.
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But some of the Rebels’ most meaningful contributions have come from transfers.
Center fielder Ethan Groff (Tulane) has been a staple alongside Gonzalez atop the lineup. He’s started every game. Anthony Calarco — another plug-and-play transfer, but from Northwestern — has settled into the middle of the order.
Ethan Lege came in from junior college and quickly laid claim to third base. The trio has combined to hit .343. They’ve scored nearly a third of the team’s runs and collected a third of the RBI.
Groff and Calarco alone are hitting a combined .400 (36 for 90) with 39 RBI, 28 runs scored and 13 extra-base hits.
“We’re swinging it really well and it’s coming from different people,” Bianco said. “We hit three home runs (against USM) and Calarco continues to swing a hot bat. McCants (is) swinging it well and hits another homer. (Peyton) Chatagnier’s hitting near .400.
“I think, right now, when you’re on the other side of the ball in that other dugout, we’ve made it difficult for teams to navigate through.”
Next up is a three-game series against Purdue.
Veteran RHP Jack Dougherty (1-1, 2.92 ERA, 15 K, 5 BB) will get the ball for Ole Miss in game one. First pitch is set for Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT. He’ll be opposed by Purdue RHP Khal Stephen (1-0, 3.52 ERA, 7 K, 5 BB).
Let’s take a closer look at the matchup, with series notes provides by Ole Miss Athletics Media Relations.
FOUR FOR .400
Ole Miss and New Mexico are the only two teams in the NCAA with four every-day starters (Gonzalez, Groff, Harris and Chatagnier) hitting .400 or better.
Calarco isn’t far behind (.390). However, the four Rebels have combined to provide 51.3 percent of the team’s hits, 49.2 percent of the runs, 53.7 percent of the RBI and 42.3 percent of the home runs.
YOU GO, WE GO
Gonzalez and Groff have each started all 13 games for Ole Miss this season in the leadoff position.
They’ve shared the first and second slots in 12 of 13 games.
The pair together has produced a .414 (41 for 99) hitting clip atop the order. They’ve also joined forces to produce 39 RBI, 32 runs scored, 21 walks and a .546 on-base percentage.
Groff is ninth nationally in RBI, and he’s ranked seventh nationally in RBI per game. Groff is driving in 1.85 runs per game. He has at least one RBI in seven of the last eight.
GOING STREAKING
Gonzalez has reached base in every game this season — an on-base streak of 13 games.
In all, Gonzalez, a Top 5 MLB Draft prospect in 2023, has a .554 OBP. He’s worked 11 walks while being hit by four pitches. Gonzalez leads the Rebels in batting average (.420) and doubles (4).
Calarco has reached base in each of his first 12 games in a Rebel uniform. He’s only behind Gonzalez and Groff with his .500 OBP.
WE’LL TAKE IT FROM HERE
The Ole Miss bullpen gave up just four earned runs and two walks over its 11.1 innings at the Cambria College Classic last weekend.
Mason Nichols, Mitch Murrell and Tommy Henninger all put together scoreless outings — allowing one hit between them. The freshmen trio of Brayden Jones, Mason Morris and Sam Tookoian worked 5.1 innings in relief and surrendered just six hits. They issued one walk.
Nichols has worked six scoreless in four appearances so far this season. Opposing offenses have only been able to muster one hit on him, and Nichols has earned two saves.
Jones also has two saves, too. He’s posted a 1.23 ERA with five strikeouts in 7.1 innings.
SAUN-K
Ole Miss true freshman RHP Grayson Saunier struck out 11 batters in his third collegiate start last Saturday — the most by an Ole Miss starter since Dylan DeLucia struck out 12 in the opening game of the Coral Gables Regional against Arizona last postseason.
Saunier leads the Ole Miss pitching staff with 20 total strikeouts, which is tied for 13th amongst SEC pitchers.
OUT OF THE GATE
Ole Miss has scored 43 of its 126 total runs in the first two innings of games.
That number is equal to 34.1 percent of the Rebels’ total runs. They’re outscoring opponents 43-6 in the first two innings of play. Nearly 64 percent their runs have been scored in the first five innings.
STUDENT BECOMES THE TEACHER
With seven more victories, Bianco will pass the legendary Skip Bertman for the second-most wins by an SEC head coach.
Bianco currently sits at 864 wins. Bertman won 870 as LSU head coach from 1984-2001. Bianco played for Bertman at LSU from 1988-89 and coached on his staff from 1993-97.
REBELS ON THE BIG STAGE
Ole Miss will appear on national television nine times this season, including six SEC Network broadcasts, two on ESPNU and once on ESPN2.
The Rebels will make their national television debut (ESPNU) in their first SEC game of the year March 16 at Vanderbilt.
National TV Games
March 16 at Vanderbilt (6:00 p.m. CT) – ESPNU
March 18 at Vanderbilt (11:00 a.m. CT) – SEC Network
April 1 at Texas A&M (7:00 p.m. CT) – SEC Network
April 8 vs. Arkansas (2:00 p.m. CT) – SEC Network
April 15 at Mississippi State (3:00 p.m. CT) – SEC Network
April 22 vs. LSU (2:00 p.m. CT) – ESPN2
May 4 at Missouri (6:00 p.m. CT) – SEC Network
May 11 vs. Auburn (7:00 p.m. CT) – ESPNU
May 13 vs. Auburn (2:00 p.m. CT) – SEC Network
