Rebel Roundabout: Nikhazy off to hot AAA start; two Ole Miss golfers in Arnold Palmer Cup
All-time Ole Miss great Doug Nikhazy made his second AAA start on Wednesday after his promotion by the Cleveland Guardians last week.
He did Doug Nikhazy things.
The 24-year-old, left-handed-throwing Nikhazy struck out six Toledo batters over 4.0 scoreless innings. He’s yet to allow a run over his first 11.0 innings with the Clippers and struck out 11.
Nikhazy’s pitched to a 2.58 ERA over two levels this season. He’s a single step from MLB. He’s struck out 60 in all and allowed 17 runs on 35 hits in his 59.1 innings.
Nikhazy is one of the most accomplished players in Ole Miss baseball history. He was drafted by the Guardians in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft. Nikhazy struck out nearly 26 percent of the batters he faced for AA Akron.
He was named the Clippers’ ‘Pitcher of the Homestand’ on July 1.
“I’ve been in the dugout with plenty of big-leaguers,” Ole Miss hitting coach Mike Clement previously said of Nikhazy in an interview with the Ole Miss Spirit.
#Guardians 24yr old LHP prospect Doug Nikhazy struckout six Toledo batters tonight over 4.0 scoreless innings of work for Columbus in his 2nd start at the Triple-A level. Nikhazy has yet to allow a run over his first 11.0 innings with the Clippers!
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 4, 2024
Line – 4.0(IP) 2H 0R 0ER 2BB… pic.twitter.com/RsJeTNHKMr
“He’s the best college pitcher I’ve been around.”
“I would downsize our house and give up half my salary, safely, to have him back. Send our kids to public school. Never eat out. Save all my money for Doug Nikhazy to come back. He can have my office.”
Nikhazy had eight double-digit strikeout games as an Ole Miss senior. He finished with 142 total Ks — the second-most ever by a Rebel.
Lance Lynn is in his 13th season in the majors. He’s 10 strikeouts away from becoming the 88th pitcher in MLB history to 2,000 Ks.
Lynn had 146 for the Rebels in 2007, the most in a single season in school history. Drew Pomeranz is third (139 in 2019), while Will Kline is fourth (134 in 2007).
Nikhazy was just the fourth-ever Rebel (and first pure pitcher) twice named an All-American.
LA SASSO, MACNAB TO REPRESENT OLE MISS IN ARNOLD PALMER CUP
Ole Miss golf standouts Michael La Sasso and Caitlyn Macnab will represent Ole Miss at the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup from July 5-7 in Lahinch, Ireland.
La Sasso is a member of Team USA, and Macnab the International contingent. Ole Miss is one of just seven schools nationally with both a male AND female participating.
La Sasso is the first on the men’s side for Ole Miss since 2018. Macnab will be making her second consecutive appearance. It’s also the fifth in a row with a women’s Rebel player or coach selected.
La Sasso is fresh off his debut Ole Miss season. He became the 12th All-American in program history and paced Ole Miss in stroke average (69.2). La Sasso was first-team All-SEC.
Macnab secured two medalist finishes and All-American honors for the third straight season. She had the second-lowest season stroke average of any Rebel ever (70.92 in 12 tournaments). She was second-team All-SEC.
