Rebels survive poor play, Little Rock for 11-8 victory

OXFORD | Max Cioffi came through to make sure Tuesday didn’t get anymore complicated than it already did.

Little Rock pushed three runs across on Jordan Fowler in the fifth inning when Cioffi entered, and he immediately gave up two singles and a walk to let an inherited runner score and load the bases. It was problematic and dwindled Ole Miss’ once-cushy lead to three runs as damage seemed to still be on tap.

But a strikeout ended the inning, and the Ole Miss sophomore didn't allow a run in 3.2 innings as Ole Miss survived the Sun Belt Conference Trojans, 11-8, on Tuesday in Oxford. The Rebels are 9-2 on the season and host No. 18 East Carolina at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

“(Cioffi’s) fastball really worked and we’ve seen that before,” Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said. “It really plays up and is a good pitch. He was the only one who gave us a chance."

Cioffi struck out seven and scattered five hits.

Ole Miss seemed to be on the way to a rout, piling up six runs by the second inning thanks to Little Rock throwing 75 pitches to get six outs. The Rebels’ five-run second featured four walks and four hits. Ole Miss added one in the fourth and four in the seventh reach a seven-seven-run lead. That was necessary, as Little Rock scored four in the ninth.

Ray Falk got his first career action and loaded the bases with no outs. Kaleb Hill cleaned it up and ended the game but not before allowing all three runners to score as well as one of his own.

Despite the early runs, it should have been more, with Ole Miss messing up multiple at-bats with bunts and mentally lapsing on counts and defensive routine plays.

“It was a disappointing game and I hate to sound negative after a win, but we left runners on, missed signals, don’t know the count, just a really sloppy game,” Bianco said.

Fowler threw four scoreless innings and looked sharper than earlier this season prior to the struggles in the fifth. The four runs charged to him came on two hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 4.1 innings.

“At the end of the day he went four and one-third and hit three guys and walked a guy,” Bianco said. “He has to pitch better than that.”

Tyler Keenan led Ole Miss with three hits, and three different Rebels had two hits apiece — Grae Kessinger, Anthony Servideo and Ryan Olenek. Thomas Dillard reached base four times with a hit and three walks. Keenan had four RBIs.