BATON ROUGE | It was 28 Southeastern Conference innings ago when Campbell Smithwick doubled down the line to score Ethan Groff and put up the Rebels’ 10th run in a series clincher against Texas A&M.
That was the high point, the pinnacle of hope, and the time when just maybe the Rebels would capitalize on Auburn and the solid effort against the Aggies and push toward the NCAA Tournament.
It’s been three games of duds since then, and barring a win, maybe several wins, and an NCAA selection committee first, Ole Miss’ at-large efforts fell short on Friday in Baton Rouge.
LSU took the series, 4-2, as the Rebels couldn’t generate enough offense — couldn’t manufacture any offense — and dropped to 27-27 overall and 11-18 in the SEC. LSU is 12-17 and is suddenly a win away from a likely postseason spot.
The Tigers are 1-8 in series finales in league play this season.
“You can sit here and feel sorry for yourselves or you can wake up tomorrow and win a baseball game,” Mike Bianco said. “Tie with them and get to the conference tournament and win some baseball games.”
Ole Miss hasn’t scored a run without a home run in SEC play since Smithwick’s double three complete games ago. Judd Utermark hit a solo on Thursday, and Luke Hill had a two-run shot that momentarily brought the Rebels to life on Friday, but two stranded runners an inning later took the helium from the third base dugout.
The Rebels are 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position and 7-for-37 with runners on the last three SEC games.
The regular season finale is at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The Rebels are in the SEC Tournament thanks to Mizzou’s loss to Mississippi State on Thursday. Maybe Ole Miss gets to 12-18 and hangs around Hoover to boost the resume and catch a unique gift.
However, it’s very unlikely, and no 12-18 team has ever received an at-large bid, but thanks to the No. 1 strength of schedule and mid-20s RPI, that’s the message Mike Bianco should take to his team. It’s the lone bullet left in the gun.
But, let’s be honest, now that there’s a 55-game sample size: Ole Miss simply hasn’t been good enough. Sure, it’s played a ridiculously difficult schedule, and the Rebels have three series wins that are notable, but day in and day out, things have been subpar.
That’s the lede and the thesis.
The schedule strength lowered the requirement. Thirteen SEC wins were an NCAA lock. The Rebels fumbled the key.
Ole Miss, in SEC games, entering the weekend, was 10th in the league in offense, 13th in pitching and last (14th) in defense. Counting all games, the Rebels were 13th in offense, 13th in pitching and still 14th in defense.
Consistency would be the largest font if you had one of those word clouds of postgame conversations this season, but it never came. Quality at-bats and fundamental baseball disappeared all too often.
Wes Mendes stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, striking out Tommy White — who has six hits including four extra base hits in the two games this weekend — and Jared Jones a half inning after Hill’s home run.
“I thought he was terrific,” Bianco said. “Gutsy performance with two big punch outs. Not the situation you want with a freshman in that situation at The Box but credit to him.”
It was another chance for Ole Miss to find a gas pedal and maybe salvage things, but the abandoned runners reappeared minutes later, and the Rebels wouldn’t threaten again.
The Rebels ran into quality starters the past two days at LSU, with Gage Jump limiting Ole Miss on Thursday and Luke Holman giving up just the Hill home run in 6.2 innings with nine strikeouts and no walks on Friday. Holman and Jump are projected second rounders this summer.
Christian Little stranded the runners in the seventh, and Ole Miss didn’t get a runner on against Griffin Herring the final two innings.
A potential win ended with a whimper, and the Rebels have one game left in Baton Rouge before likely a late-night matchup on Tuesday in Hoover. A loss in either ends any residual and flatlining suspense, and wins would only bring about some maybes. That’s where they are and who they are as the regular season concludes.
“We have to do more; that’s not a secret,” Bianco said
