Pitching, offensive patience carry Rebs in 3-2 win over No. 10 Pirates
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OXFORD | There was a miscommunication on the most important pitch of the game.
With the bases loaded and one out, Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco called a fastball. Catcher Cooper Johnson says he signaled a fastball. Andy Pagnozzi threw a curveball.
And the Rebels are sure glad he did.
The breaking ball turned into a double play ball to keep Ole Miss in the game, and the Rebels found enough offense late to rally for a 3-2 victory that clinched the series against No. 10 East Carolina. Ole Miss won 5-4 on Friday and goes for the sweep at noon Sunday.
"We're glad Andy was right," Bianco said. "It was supposed to be a fastball."
Down a run already, Ole Miss had 10 minutes of frustration and near disaster in the fifth inning. East Carolina scored its second run of the game and loaded the bases with a walk, bunt single and two hit by pitches around a strikeout. The sequence ran starter James McArthur and brought Pagnozzi in from the bullpen.
On a 1-0 count, Eric Tyler rolled it to shortstop Grae Kessinger, who tossed it to Tate Blackman and on to first for the double play. An inning later, Ole Miss finally capitalized on its myriad of offensive chances.
"I knew Pags would be the first one out of the bullpen," Bianco said.
Colby Bortles' first hit of the season was a high drive down the left field line on a 3-1 fastball that left Swayze Field for a solo home run in the sixth inning. He said he was wishing it fair, as he just stayed inside the line.
In the seventh inning, Ryan Olenek started things with a single, and Will Golsan doubled him home to tie the game. Golsan moved to third on the wild pitch, and Bortles hit a deep fly ball to centerfield to score him for the go-ahead run.
The two innings broke a couple hours of frustration offensively for the Rebels. Ole Miss went 2-of-19 with runners on base and 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. The Rebels left multiple runners on base three different innings and at least a runner in all but one inning.
East Carolina was just 1-for-11 with runners on, and Ole Miss left 10 total on base, while the Pirates stranded five runners.
"We had confidence we could do it," Bortles said. "Baseball is an awesome game because you can fail 70 percent of the time."
The Rebels finished with nine hits.
East Carolina starter Jacob Wolfe threw five shutout innings before Ole Miss got to the ECU bullpen. He allowed four hits.
"The truth is we were just a hit away," Bianco said. "We had some hits and runners but couldn't get the key hit to get runs across. It seems like we'd hit lazy fly balls and missed that hit to capitalize."
Pagnozzi pitched two more scoreless innings after the double play, and Dallas Woolfolk and Will Stokes each tossed a shutout inning to finish the game. McArthur gave up two runs and three hits in 4.1 innings.
Woolfolk struck out two in a perfect eighth, and Stokes picked up his second save in as many days, getting three outs and giving up one single. Stokes threw 22 pitches on Friday.
"I didn't know Will was going to pitch today," Bianco said. "I thought on the way to the park he would get the day off, but he said he felt great. I decided to only go to him if close in the ninth, but if your best guy says he's ready, then you go to him."