Rebels use big-inning cushion to beat Tulane in series opener

There were 11 straight half innings without a run scored on Saturday, as the game that started a day earlier and picked up in the bottom of the fifth at noon with the Rebels ahead by a run, seemed to be set to finish as a pitcher-plentiful event.

Then the bottom of the seventh brought back-to-back home runs from Cole Zabowski and Cooper Johnson, and Ryan Olenek had a two-out single to drive in Grae Kessinger and give the Rebels a four-run lead.

That didn't last, as the Wave put up three of their own in the top of the eighth, but Ole Miss used two late double plays to stop the onslaught and hold on for a 5-4 win in the series opener.

Game two is at 2:15 p.m. Saturday. Ole Miss is 5-0, while Tulane is 3-1.

Zawboski started the seventh with a 371-foot home run, his second of the season. The wind was blowing out to left-center and helped the solo shot easily clear the wall. Two batters later, Johnson hit his first career home run, a line shot just inside the left field foul pole.

After Kessinger singled and advanced to second on an error, Olenek hit a 2-0 pitch into left field for Ole Miss' final run.

Will Ethridge relieved Ryan Rolison when the game resumed 18.5 hours after it was halted for inclement weather. He threw two scoreless to start the outing but escaped a few hard-hit balls.

Then, two doubles and a home run greeted Ethridge in the eight, giving way to right-handed reliever Will Stokes. The home run came from Matt Rowland, who also hit one off Rolison in the first inning.

Tulane got two hits off Stokes as well, but a nice 3-6-1 double play ended the inning.

Dallas Woolfolk picked up his third save of the season, pitching a scoreless ninth around a one-out single.

Johnson was the only Rebel with multiple hits.

Prior to the seventh, all the runs were scored in the first inning. After Rolison gave up a two-out solo home run to Rowland, Ole Miss used two hits and a Green Wave error to take the lead.

Olenek was hit by a pitch, and Nick Fortes singled, advancing Olenek to third. Nick Fortes stole second, and the throw from Tulane catcher Ty Johnson sailed into center, allowing Olenek to jog home.

Ty Johnson, then, allowed a passed ball, and Thomas Dillard hit an RBI ground out.

Rolison threw 82 pitches, 52 strikes, in five innings. He gave up three hits and just the one run. The left-hander struck out nine and walked two during his second start of the season. He has 21 strikeouts in 10 innings this year.

Rolison allowed a base runner in four of his five innings but stranded every base runner following the home run. The second inning was the critical one, as Tulane got a single and walk with two outs. On a full-count pitch, Rolison froze nine-hole batter Sal Gozzo with a breaking ball to end the inning.

Ole Miss left the bases loaded in the fifth inning and didn't score after having two-on with no outs in the eighth, when Jacob Adams rolled into a double play and Tim Elko struck out.