Ole Miss didn’t do what it wanted over the weekend in Gainesville, but it did what it needed.
The Rebels took the middle game of the series and fell in the other two to drop their first SEC weekend of the season. They return home 7-2 in the league and set to face top-five Arkansas — also 7-2 — before a road trip to Mississippi State.
Florida is 5-1 at home in the SEC so far this season, and it features one of the top pitching staffs in the country, a staff that baffled the Rebels on Thursday and limited the big hit on Saturday, in what had to be a frustrating nine innings for Ole Miss.
“It’s a hard taste right now,” Mike Bianco said. “We just lost a weekend series and we’re disappointed… We got beat.”
While there are on good losses, the Rebels can see that their play dictated the outcome all three days. Ole Miss lost on Thursday because of poor defense in what would have otherwise been an equal pitching duel. The win on Friday was because of Doug Nikhazy’s effort and a late offensive surge. And on Sunday, Florida pitched better, and Ole Miss couldn’t get enough key hits in a 6-5 loss to decide the series.
Ole Miss had 11 hits and 18 total baserunners in the rubber match but was 2-for-13 with runners inn scoring position. Meanwhile, Florida was only 1-for-5 in that stat but used two home runs to avoid station-to-station struggles. The Gators also scored the runner from third with less than three outs all three times.
The Rebels need extra base hits to move big innings typically and only had one triple (Dunhurst scored two runners one that one) while Florida hit two triples and the two home runs.
Ole Miss wasn’t overwhelmed at any point and should return home with plenty of confidence. Two teams capable of the College World Series played a competitive three games and someone had to win at least two of them.
The Rebels can point to certain statistics to predict their outcomes, and while those hit on Friday, they didn’t a day later. But even in the loss, there were some valuable answers.
Derek Diamond didn’t have his best stuff Saturday, struggling through four innings and giving up five runs on six hits. It was the first time the sophomore has taken the mound in a series-deciding game in the SEC and the first time away from Swayze Field. He’ll be better for the experience moving forward.
The right-hander struggled with command early, and Florida put the leadoff runner on in four of the five innings against Diamond. His next step in development is managing emotions and getting ahead more early in the game.
Drew McDaniel gave up a run in 2.1 innings, and Jackson Kimbrell and Austin Miller both looked solid in relief to give Ole Miss a chance to come back late, but the Rebels stranded two in the seventh and two in the ninth to end it.
Kevin Graham had three hits a day after hitting two doubles. Tim Elko also had three hits.
Ole Miss has a five-game week with UNA on Monday and Alcorn State on Tuesday before the Razorbacks starting on Friday. Those are part of a six-game homestand before the trip to Starkville.
Bianco laughed when Ole Miss Radio Network analyst Brad Henderson said that the big picture is bright with seven wins in nine games to this point. Bianco knows it’s true, but it was minutes after a winnable game slipped away. He was proud of his team’s fight after being down big in the middle of the game before getting back within a run but stinging from the final result.
But it doesn’t make Henderson’s words less true. The Rebels are in great shape and can clearly see what decides games. Some clean-up work is necessary, but Ole Miss showed well and returned home with everything in front of it. Starting with Arkansas Friday.
