OXFORD | Ole Miss made sure VCU had no issue making its flight on Sunday.
Despite a horrific defensive first frame, the Rebels again didn’t need the full allotment of innings, knocking off the Rams, 14-3, in seven innings to take both games of the weekend series. The Saturday game was canceled because of inclement weather.
Ole Miss scored in six of seven innings and had 14 hits. VCU only had two hits and were 0-for-11 with runners on base. Ole Miss has had three run-rules and a 10-run rain-shortened win in its first six games.
Here are observations from the blowout win that pushed the Rebels to 6-0 on the season. Ole Miss hosts ULM Tuesday and Wednesday before a weekend series at UCF.
Ole Miss has to be better defensively. The offense has masked it to this point, but VCU scored three first-inning runs without a hit, as the Rebels opened the game: walk, error, error, wild pitch. Ole Miss has 10 errors on the season — three games without an error and then a game with four errors and two games with three errors. It hasn’t mattered yet, but it will against better teams.
Drew McDaniel did a good job missing bats on Sunday, but he needs to be better with commanding the strike zone. McDaniel allowed one hit in three innings with three strikeouts but waked three batters. I liked his composure while the Rebels were kicking it around, and it was a serviceable outing. He threw 44 of 74 pitches for strikes and had the one wild pitch.
“Obviously we have to be better in the first and we will be,” Mike Bianco said. “We can field and field better than that. Proud of how (McDaniel) handled it. Last year he may not have handled it.”
John Gaddis looked exactly like the Rebels hoped when they signed him as a transfer from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Gaddis threw only 30 pitches in three scoreless innings with one hit and one strikeout, living off some weak fly outs.
He works fast and keeps the defense engaged with a lot of strikes. Out of the 10 batters faced, Gaddis only got to a three-ball count once. It was impressive, and the profile that Ole Miss needs on the weekends. Don’t give away anything and make teams out-hit the offense.
Bianco said he knew he would pitch both McDaniel and Gaddis on Sunday to guarantee work and not get caught with either of them on short rest moving forward.
“That’s who he is and who we’ve watched for six months,” Bianco said. “Fills up the zone with three pitches and attacks hitters and makes it really difficult for them.”
Tywone Malone hit a two-run, pinch-hit walk-off home run to end the game in the seventh inning. It’s his first career hit and a cool moment. He crushed the fastball opposite field, and he was giddy after the game.
There’s something to be said for his desire to make both sports work and work toward this immense transition to SEC baseball, especially after missing his final two high school seasons — one because of COVID and one because of injury.
“It’s neat,” Bianco said. “Walking into the park today I saw him and said that he got a standing ovation for walking to the plate. Can you imagine a home run? I didn’t expect a walk-off. He’s a neat kid and deserves it.”
Ole Miss just bludgeoned VCU pitching. The Rebels were 10-for-19 with runners on base and 6-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Jacob Gonzalez gave Ole Miss the lead for good with a two-run home run in the second inning.
Tim Elko also hit a home run, and the Rebels had five extra base hits. Justin Bench and Kevin Graham each had three hits apiece. Elko had three RBIs and four different Rebels had three each.
Brandon Johnson was great in his first inning of the season, maxing at 96 MPH with is fastball and throwing 10 of 12 pitches for strikes. He’s been the Rebels’ best pitcher since the fall, arguably, and it’ll be interesting to see how Bianco shapes his role this season.
