Rebels ease past Pine Bluff for 35th win of season
OXFORD | If you must play a team outside the top 270 in RPI late in the season, then avoid a catastrophe, don’t subject pitchers to high-stress innings and stay healthy.
Ole Miss, despite a momentary tightening of the game in the middle innings, did that on Wednesday, knocking off Arkansas Pine Bluff, 10-3, on Disney night at Swayze Field.
The Rebels, No. 7 in RPI entering the game, scored six runs through the first two innings and added late against the RPI No. 274 Golden Lions (18-20).
Nick Fortes hit a three-run home run in the first inning and was hitting when his ground ball turned into a two-run error, as Arkansas Pine Bluff second baseman Ryan Mallison threw it wide of first base.
Grae Kessinger had four hits including a double and scored three times, pushing his batting average back up to .311 on the season. It’s his second four-hit game of the year (Memphis, Feb. 20).
The Rebels (35-11, 12-9) travel to South Carolina this weekend. Ole Miss was projected to be a national seed by multiple publications this week but must navigate a two-week stretch against the Gamecocks, who have won five of their last six SEC games, and a home series with Auburn, who is No. 6 in the RPI. The Rebels close the regular season with a road trip to Alabama.
Ole Miss goes undefeated in nonconference games at Swayze Field and are 23-2 in non-SEC games this season.
Anthony Servideo hit his first career home run, making the most of his start at second base.
Ole Miss starter Jordan Fowler gave up three runs — two earned — in 4.1 innings, as Pine Bluff cut it to 6-3 in the fifth. He gave up three hits and walked three while throwing 56 of 91 pitches for strikes.
Connor Green and Austin Miller both got 1.1 innings of work, and Dallas Woolfolk made his first appearance since giving up two runs without recording an out at Vanderbilt on April 15.
Woolfolk hit 94 MPH repeatedly on the stadium radar gun for the first time this season and struck out two in his perfect eighth inning. Ten of the 14 pitches were strikes.
Greer Holston threw a scoreless ninth inning.
Will Golsan had a two-run hit in the eighth to push his team-lead in two-out RBIs to 21 on the season.