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Orvis Left the Building, But LSU Wins Game One 4-3
Sikes Orvis touches off a beer blast shower with this solo dinger to right. All photos by Andy Knef
A top-ten matchup between two SEC Western divisional rivals lived up to its billing on Thursday night with an extra-inning one-run victory for the Tigers.
No. 7 LSU and No.10 Ole Miss matched each other run-for-run through twelve innings of play. The Tigers scored the winning run in the top of the thirteenth and defeated Ole Miss 4-3.
No. 10 Ole Miss (29-10, 9-7 SEC) scored three runs on eight hits but it wasn’t enough to take game one.
Rebel fans showed up in good numbers on a chili Thursday night to open the series with LSU. Total attendance for the game was 9,861.
Coach Mike Bianco talked to the media about his team performance:
Coach Mike Bianco talks to his pitcher and catcher.
“I thought Chris Ellis and Aaron Nola (LSU hurler) both pitched terrific,” said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. “It might have been Chris’ (Ellis) best outing of the year. He had pressure-packed pitches and did a great job.
“We had opportunities,” Bianco added. “We’ve been on the right side of it several times; today, it just didn’t happen. We didn’t make the big hit. We didn’t make the big pitch or play in the field.”
It didn’t take the Rebels long to get their bats cranking, as Sikes Orvis led off the second inning for Ole Miss blasting a solo home run into the visitor’s bullpen in right touching off a beer shower and red cup fireworks.
Orvis has now hit safely in 14 straight games.
LSU got their first base runner aboard, in the top of the next inning when Conner Hale walked. The Tigers put runners on the corners with no outs. Hale raced home on a sacrifice fly by Sean McMullen.
Both pitchers dug in as their defenses played tough behind them.
Rebels starter Chris Ellis worked eight innings and struck out six Tiger batters.
In the top of the sixth, the Tigers broke the tie on a fielding error at second base by Preston Overbey.
Braxton Lee scored in the bottom of the eighth to re-knot the at two as catcher Will Alllen drove him home with a groundout.
Tigers starter Aaron Nola left the game in the bottom of the eighth. He gave up two runs on eight hits while striking out seven batters.
The Rebel runner takes off for second as Tiger pitcher Aaron Nola delivers.
After a strong outing by Ellis, Coach Bianco called on lefty reliever Wyatt Short who battled a tough LSU lineup in the ninth. In the eleventh Bianco turned to his closer Josh Laxer.
LSU scratched a run across in the top of the eleventh to take a 3-2 lead on the Rebels.
Allen led the bottom of the 11th eleventh with a double to center. Orvis advanced pinchrunner Cameron Dishon to third on a sacrifice fly that appeared off the bat to be a sure gapper. came into run for him. DH J.B Woodman brought Dishon into score on a RBI fly-out to tie the game at 3.
The Tigers scored their fourth and winning run of the game in the top of the 12th as Hale scored from second on a costly error by shortstop Errrol Robinson.
Game two of the series is tonight at 6:30 p.m.
This Rebel bunt attempt went foul.
Rebel and Tiger fans talk it over.
This shot to left had warning track power.
This young man had the honor of throwing out the first ball with his Dad looking on.
Before the game even starts muscles have to be stretched.
And what happens when a Rebel cranks one out — shower time!
Rebel starter Chris Ellis throws hard and kept Ole Miss in the game.
Close call at first but the Rebels get the out.
Adam Brown is HottyToddy.com sports editor and Andy Knef is editor
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