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Rebels roll Georgia in Saturday doubleheader to take series

OXFORD | Facing a three-game SEC losing streak and back-to-back series losses, Ole Miss took both ends of a Saturday doubleheader, beating Georgia 8-4 and 5-2 to back-end the series and move to 31-9 and 10-8 in the Southeastern Conference.

It’s also the first time the Rebels have back-ended three SEC series in the same season since 1982, having done it to Tennessee, Arkansas and now Georgia in 2018. The 1982 team did it four times (Alabama, Mississippi State and LSU).

The Rebels move into a share of the SEC West lead after Mississippi State swept Arkansas. Ole Miss took two of three from the Razorbacks in Oxford. Texas A&M and LSU are a half game back. Ole Miss won the series against the Aggies and hosts LSU in Oxford next week.

Georgia (27-13, 10-8) has lost three straight series.

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STOKES BUILDS UPON WEDNESDAY SUCCESS 

Will Stokes, who hadn’t pitched an inning or more in an outing since March 6, inherited a mess in the seventh inning Wednesday against Arkansas State. He handled it well and added a perfect eighth in the blowout win. Following the game, Stokes admitted to his past struggles and said he found confidence in the midweek victory against the Red Wolves.

Bianco went to Stokes with two on and one out in the sixth inning against Georgia in game one of the day, and a caught stealing and a pop up ended the inning. The senior didn’t give up the ball the rest of the game, getting the save with 3.2 innings of one-run relief in the 8-4 win. He struck out four, walked two and gave up a couple hits but pitched with confidence and avoided the middle of the plate.

The right-hander easily handled the extended season-high outing of 73 pitches and threw 46 strikes. He’s been searching for consistency with his delivery and the past two outings have looked more similar to his past seasons when the ERA was in the 2s. As the bullpen searches for successful niches, Stokes’ reemergence couldn’t come at a better time.

GOLSAN LEADS 13-RUN DAY FOR OLE MISS OFFENSE

Will Golsan had one home run in 149 at-bats this season entering the final game of the series. Then he hit two in the span of three innings to put an exclamation point on a three-hit game that led to Ole Miss’ two-run second and three-run fifth that built a five-run lead through five frames.

Golsan, who is third on the team in RBIs and first in two-out RBIs, is hitting .357 with runners in scoring position on the season and has 10 extra base hits in the his last 19 games. The senior has never hit below .273 for a season and batted .312 in 2017, so he was expected to break out of an early-season struggle.

It’s Golsan’s fourth three-hit game of the season, and the three RBIs are a season high. He’s twice had four RBIs in a game in his career. He had two RBIs in the first game of the day, and his 32 on the season are already a career high.

In the first game of the day, Grae Kessinger hit two doubles. Ryan Olenek had least one hit in each game and extended his hitting streak to 19 games.

OLE MISS STARTERS PROVIDE NEEDED QUALITY INNINGS

Ole Miss needed more from its starting pitchers compared to the past few weeks, and Ryan Rolison, Brady Feigl and James McArthur combined to throw 18.1 innings and give up five earned runs.

After Rolison gave Ole Miss seven innings of one-run work before the leadoff double in the eighth, Feigl allowed three runs — two earned — in 5.2 innings. McArthur stifled Georgia with one run and two hits over six innings. He did walk six, as well, but managed it effectively and left with a zero in the Georgia run column. Max Cioffi threw a two-out wild pitch to allow the run to score and be charged to McArthur.

With Will Ethridge and Parker Caracci both seeing action in the loss on Friday, Ole Miss’ bullpen had to be bailed out a bit with 18 innings in one day. The starters did that, and the offense found traction with 13 combined runs and comfortable leads by the fifth inning in both games.

Caracci got the final four outs for his seventh save of the season.

STUDENT SECTION HAS INCIDENT WITH GEORGIA BULLPEN

After a Friday night and Saturday matinee with a packed and overflowing student section in right field, the terrace behind the visiting bullpen was completely vacant for the third game of the series.

Ole Miss athletics director Ross Bjork said “a small group of” students were throwing things into the Georgia bullpen the first two games of the series, so the university closed that section of the outfield seating. Bjork also said that it would be decided following the game if it was a one-game change or not.

“Can’t have that kind of behavior, or the SEC will shut it down altogether,” Bjork told RebelGrove.com.

The Rebels, beginning next season, will occupy the first base dugout and right-field bullpen once the Swayze Field renovation is complete because the clubhouse is being moved to that side of the stadium.

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