By Carleigh Holt
HottyToddy Intern
It’s the time of year for bundling up in layers in the morning and changing to shorts with a T-shirt by the afternoon. It is time for home runs and strikeouts, too. The Ole Miss sports season is transitioning from basketball to baseball.
Last week I was able to attend the Ole Miss Men’s Basketball game against South Carolina that resulted in a loss but was an intense game. I sat on the court watching the back and forth between the teams until South Carolina hit a game-ending half-court shot in overtime. Although Ole Miss lost, I was proud to capture the raw emotions of Jarkel Joiner and the South Carolina team at the buzzer.
If the basketball season is coming to an end, that means the baseball season is beginning.
The season started this past weekend in a series against Charleston Southern. I was not able to attend the baseball game, but expectations are high for the season. Tim Elko made his reappearance with the first home run of the season, leading to one of several right-field beer showers for the weekend. The last game of the series resulted in a run-rule victory for the Rebels on Sunday.
Some records were broken, including season ticket sales of 8,000, Tim Elko being tied for lead home runs in the SEC, and opening day attendance of 11,146. Attention turned to Oxford and the road to Omaha this season after Ole Miss’s in-state rival—and national champs—had lost its series of games.
Last year I was able to photograph some baseball games and experience Swayze after it was allowed to return to full capacity. I am excited to see what “Swayze Season” brings, and I am ready to take pictures of the student section reactions after home runs.
Photo by: Carleigh Holt Sports Illustrated
