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Starting a five-game homestand, the No. 13 Ole Miss baseball team defeated Southeastern Missouri on Tuesday night, 10-2. After trailing for the first three innings, the Rebels (11-1) used a four-run rally in the fourth inning to lock in a win in the first game of the midweek series against the Redhawks (6-6).
With the victory, Ole Miss won its six straight game of the season and improved to 11-1 for the third time in the past four seasons.
The fourth-inning rally marks the seventh time this season the Rebels recorded at least four runs in an inning. The Ole Miss bats were hot, tallying 13 hits on the night and sending in three RBI with bases loaded. Nine Rebels tallied at least one hit, and the team tallied six extra-base hits throughout the evening.
Redshirt-freshman Michael Fitzsimmons went two-for-two on the night, knocking his first career home run as well as a double. Junior Errol Robinson added a pair of hits and two RBI, while sophomore Kyle Watson added two runs and a multi-hit game off the bench.
“We had some guys get it going tonight,” said Ole Miss Head Coach Mike Bianco. “(Henri) Lartigue gets a single and then a double late. Errol is starting to heat up a little; certainly we need him. To watch Michael Fitzsimmons come off the bench and be ready to hit, I’m excited he had a good night. Watson comes of the bench and gets two big hits. A lot of guys swung it well.”
Freshman right-handed pitcher James McArthur (1-0) earned his first career victory, allowing two runs on six hits. He also struck out six Southeastern Missouri batters and did not issue a walk through five innings of work.
“Without a doubt his best outing of the year,” noted Bianco regarding McArthur. “He looked like the James McArthur we saw in the fall and spring. I’m proud of him. He had great stuff tonight.”
Brady Feigl, David Parkinson and Brian Browning combined to pitch four shutout innings from the bullpen, marking the fourth-consecutive game Rebel relievers have not surrendered an earned run.
Southeast Missouri recorded eight hits on the night, led by a 2-for-4 performance from Dan Holst. Seven different Redhawks saw action on the mound, and starter Jacob Lawrence (0-1) was saddled with the loss.
The Redhawks jumped out to an early lead in the first, sending Holst across the dish after Branden Boggetto singled to left field. The one-run lead held for Southeastern Missouri until the fourth inning.
Ole Miss went singled and drew two walks with the bases loaded, leading to three RBI and a rally in the fourth inning. Junior Colby Bortles ripped a double down the right field line to lead off the inning for the Rebels. The third baseman crossed the dish on Henri Lartigue’s single back to the right side to tie the game at one. The Rebels drew three straight walks, with Cameron Dishon’s walk sending Lartigue home. With bases loaded and the Rebels leading 2-1, Robinson stepped up to the dish and ripped a two-RBI single to right field.
Ole Miss’ 4-1 lead didn’t last too long, as the Redhawks answered in the top of the fifth with a single run scoring on Trevor Ezell’s double to left field.
The Rebels continued the damage in the bottom of the fifth and added two more runs to the board. J.B. Woodman led off the inning with another double before Tate Blackman’s single to right sent him home. Holt Perdzock ripped another RBI single back to the right side to put Ole Miss ahead 6-2.
Fitzsimmons kept the Rebels rolling when he stepped in to pinch hit in the bottom of the seventh inning. After hitting a long foul ball that would’ve been a homer if it stayed fair, Fitzsimmons used his next swing to clear the left field fence for his first career dinger. Later in the frame, Dishon reached on a fielder error and Watson scored to give the Rebels nine runs.
During the bottom of the eighth inning, Fitzsimmons cranked the ball once again. This time he hit a stand-up double and sent Lartigue in for the final Ole Miss run of the game.
The bullpen did the rest of the work, keeping the Redhawks off the scoreboard and wrapping up another victory for the Rebels.
Ole Miss and Southeastern Missouri return to action at Swayze Field on Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. The Rebels will look to sweep the midweek series as freshman Andy Pagnozzi heads to the mound. As always, fans can tune into the action on SEC Network+ and the ESPN app.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports
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