Overall, No. 15 Ole Miss had a good weekend over Florida with a bad ending

Game one of the No. 15 Ole Miss-Florida doubleheader this afternoon and tonight – a 10-9 Rebel win – was one for the ages.

Desperate Florida looked to be in the driver’s seat after a grand salami from 2B Brendan Lawson in the top of the eighth frame gave the Gators a 9-5 lead.

Then the fireworks began for the Rebels.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Rebels scratched across two runs on a Austin Fawley single to cut the score to 9-7 going to the ninth.

Reliever Hudson Calhoun, who also got the win and is now 2-0, got the Gators in order in the top of the ninth and the Rebs had their last chance to make something happen.

Make it happen they did.

Luke Hill, Isaac Humphrey and Ryan Moerman all waked to jam the bases and then Will Furniss, who has been seeing the ball well of late, doubled to the right field corner to tie the game at 9-9.

Campbell Smithwick was intentionally walked to load the bases again and pinch hitter Hayden Federico grounded into a fielder’s choice to force the runner at home.

It was all left up to Fawley then. With the bases juiced again, he lifted a 2 strike fly to right field and Furniss scored the winning run from third.

Bedlam ensued as Rebel players rushed the field and swarmed Fawley, who knocked in 5 runs on the day.

Mitchell Sanford had 2 solo homers for the Rebels and Furniss drove in the 2 runs in the ninth.

The Rebels used seven pitchers, just as Florida did last night, and it took all of them to get the Rebs the win.

The Gators, now 18-11 overall and 0-8 in league play (incredibly), scored 4 runs in the 2^nd, but the Rebels scratched out 4 runs over the next 4 frames to take a 5-4 lead that lasted until Florida hit the grand slam in the eighth.

The Rebels ended with 10 runs on 11 hits and didn’t make an error.

Florida had 9 runs on 9 hits and committed 1 error.

In the nightcap, it too was a back and forth affair with a lot of fireworks between the Gators and Ole Miss

This time, the Gators provided the fireworks in the top of the ninth trailing 8-6. They proceeded to do to the Rebels what the Rebs did to them the game before.

Going against Brayden Jones, who dominated them in a closing role the night before, the Gators raked. Double, single, single, walk, single – four runs in before Jones was relieved and there were still no outs with Gator runners on first and third.

8-6 deficit went to a 10-8 Florida advantage. Quickly.

The Rebs got a double play with Landon Waters on the mound, but another run scored, giving the visitors an 11-8 advantage.

“Sometimes it’s very hard getting those last three outs,” coach Mike Bianco said. “I know Florida felt that way in the first game when we came from behind late to knock them off.”

The Rebels had used up all their magic in the first two games of the series. There was no genie in the bottle in the bottom of the ninth. The Rebs loaded the bases in their half, but that was as far as they got, losing 11-8.

In the end, the Rebels were basically one arm short, that arm being closer Connor Spencer, perhaps, who has a minor shoulder problem and did not pitch this weekend.

Bianco would not use that as an excuse.

“Florida is missing some pieces too,” he said. “We used 14 arms and shot all our bullets, but we just could not quite finish it. It’s tough when you win the first two and you can taste a sweep and you don’t get it, but we did a lot of good things over the weekend.

“I’m pleased with the offense and our defense was solid. We also pitched well some of the time, but not good enough.”

Still, it was a successful series for Ole Miss. Anytime you win two out of three against any SEC foe, color it a success.

“Hey, we will take two out of three every weekend in this league,” Mike continued. “I like where this team is right now. Even after giving up the runs in the top of the ninth and losing the lead, our kids kept battling and put together a rally, giving themselves a chance to score some runs and come back.

“The comeback in the opener today was outstanding. The game last night was good. Overall, a good weekend with a bad ending.”

Luke Hill had three hits in the nightcap with Will Furniss continuing with his hot bat with two hits including a two-run home run. Judd Utermark also had three hits. Jones got the loss on the mound and is now 1-1 on the year.

Ole Miss (21-6, 6-3 SEC) used six more pitchers in the nightcap after using seven in the opener.

One arm short. . . . .