LSU bounces back to even series with 5-2 win over Ole Miss

OXFORD | History lessons have little relevance considering the significant portion of the players on the field weren’t even in high school in 2011, but a look back at seven seasons ago show a what-not-to-do when it comes to Ole Miss and backing up a blowout win over LSU.

Cliches are so for a reason and usually it’s because of the truth involved. So momentum is only as good as the starting pitcher is an oldie and a goodie that struck the Rebels down in game two of the series on Friday.

A day after using an 11-run inning to blow out LSU by that margin, Ole Miss did little to nothing against Tiger freshman Ma’Khail Hilliard and went quietly to LSU, 5-2, as the series evened. The rubber match is at 3 p.m. Saturday on ESPNU.

"We didn't put pressure on them," Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said.

Ole Miss (33-11, 11-9) announced a paid attendance of 11,861, the second largest crowd in school history. LSU (26-18, 10-10) snapped its four-game SEC losing streak.

Seven seasons ago was the last time Ole Miss beat LSU by double digits, but that 16-3 score was sandwiched around 7-6 and 8-2 losses in Baton Rouge, giving the Tigers the series despite losing the laugher.

If Ole Miss is to avoid a similar fate and keep its SEC West lead it must do more offensively. Hilliard held Ole Miss to just one hit after the first inning and used a fastball spotting to both sides of the plate and a 12-6 curve to freeze and fool the Rebels for most of the night.

"It was a terrific breaking ball and he spotted his fastball to keep you off the breaking ball," Bianco said. "The first inning it looked like the approach was good... then all of a sudden we had lapses and some at-bats in the middle innings when we didn't do much and the at-bats weren't good."

Hilliard rebounded from his worst start of the season last week at South Carolina when he allowed eight runs in only 2.2 innings. It’s his best start since six shutout frames against Mississippi State on March 31.

The Rebels’ silent bats overshadowed an effective if not excellent start from Brady Feigl, who left with two outs and no one on in the seventh inning.

LSU was ahead 2-1 at the time, scoring both runs on a two-out, two-strike double in the sixth inning. That was possible because of Zach Watson’s 10-pitch at-bat that ended in a walk and extended the inning for Hunter Feduccia’s double.

Will Stokes allowed a run in the seventh after coming in for Feigl, and LSU added on from there against the Ole Miss bullpen. Stokes was charged with three runs in only 0.1 innings, as Greer Holston gave up two hits in the eighth with the inherited runners on base.

The Rebels entered the weekend with an SEC ERA of 5.23, and other than intermittent excellent outings, there’s little consistency late in games.

Feigl scattered six hits and struck out nine with only one walk. He threw 110 pitches, 73 strikes and moved his season ERA to 3.38.

"It was Brady's best outing," Bianco said. "It's a shame when you have your best outing and don't win."

Ole Miss had three hits in the first inning against Hilliard but scored only one run. Grae Kessinger started things with a bouncer up the middle, and Nick Fortes drove him in with a single two batters later.

Fortes also hit a solo home run in the eighth — his eighth of the season which is one behind Thomas Dillard for the team lead.

"We just need to wash it and stick with our approach," Fortes said. "We've been good all year, and we can't stray from it. Today he got the better of us."

The Rebels squared up a few pitches throughout the night, but LSU bounced back from an embarrassing performance Thursday to make every play defensively. Each outfielder had a diving catch, and the infielders stopped numerous hard grounders and choppers from being singles.

Ole Miss was 2-for-11 with runners on base and 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position. LSU had six hits with two outs to extend pivotal innings and hit .364 with runners in scoring position.