Rebels tune up for College Station with matinee win over New Orleans

OXFORD | Ole Miss notched another needed nonconference victory as it takes its excellent SEC record on the road.

Playing in a steady mist and with the stands sparse due to some schools declining to attend because of the weather, the Rebels coasted by New Orleans, 9-4, for the matinee win. Ole Miss is 20-2 and 2-1 in the SEC with a trip to Texas A&M starting Thursday.

The Rebels scored three in the second and four in the fourth to build a comfortable advantage. UNO (9-12) put together three runs in the fourth and fifth innings combined but never threatened.

Thomas Dillard went 2-for-4 with a home run and a triple. The sophomore had three runs scored and four RBIs. Will Golsan also added a double, as Ole Miss only had six hits but used eight walks and three Privateer errors.

Houston Roth got the win to stay unbeaten on the season. He threw five innings and gave up three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. Sixty one of his 96 pitches went for strikes.

“The stuff wasn’t terrific, but he’s a battler,” Mike Bianco said. “It’s one of those tough days, and I know it’s making excuses, but sometimes when it’s cold and damp and our long innings hurt you. He sat for a long time there.”

Greer Holston pitched two shutout innings in relief, Connor Green did the same for an inning, and Dallas Woolfolk gave up a solo home run in the ninth inning.

Woolfolk didn’t pitch during the Rebels’ series win against Tennessee.

“We needed to throw him just because you didn’t want it to be two weeks between outings,” Bianco said. “He goes out there and at least throws it in the strike zone and sees live hitters. You can’t always work him only in perfect situations.”

Grae Kessinger missed his second consecutive game with a hamstring injury, and Anthony Servideo went 1-for-4 with an RBI in his place. Bianco said there’s no update on Kessinger’s status but that he will travel to College Station.