The numbers say it all.
Ole Miss put up its worst offensive outing of the season in the series opener on Thursday, and the Friday encore was arguably worse, as South Carolina clinched the series with a 7-2 victory at Founders Park. The Gamecocks go for the sweep at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
The Rebels have lost four straight and five of the last six games.
South Carolina (23-17, 4-13) entered the weekend 15th in the SEC in ERA, batting average against and runs allowed as well as 14th in walks and strikeouts. But a night after Blake Stone threw an 86-pitch complete game to beat the Rebels, South Carolina matched that effort on the mound.
Hayden Federico hit the sixth pitch of the game out of the park, but it was a comedy of roll-overs and strikeouts from that point outside of Judd Utermark RBI single in the eighth inning. The Rebels had just four hits and hit into two double plays, pushing the twin-killing total to five through two games.
Ole Miss (27-12, 9-8) went 1-for-10 with runners on, 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position and stranded the leadoff runner on three occasions. The Rebels, dating back to Tuesday’s loss to Little Rock, are 1-for-18 with runners in scoring position – though 12 of the missed chances came against the Trojans.
"If we knew, we’d all be millionaires and hitting coaches for the Yankees," Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said. "But when these things spiral out or slump, we have to get back to winning pitches and have better at-bats. Last night no walks or errors, but today we got some walks and could have gotten more. Grind out at-bats and when you get your pitch you have to be on time and hit it well."
UM is 2-for-16 this weekend with runners on base. The Rebels struck out seven times – five of which were swinging. Ole Miss, in the two games, is 10-for-60 (.167) at the plate.
After two outs on four pitches to start the eighth, Federico and Luke Hill walked, and Utermark hit the first pitch into left to put the tying run at the plate. Sanford hit a line drive just shy of the warning track to end the inning.
Sanford doubled to start the seventh inning, and Will Furniss followed with a walk. After a Ryan Moerman fly out moved Sanford to third, Austin Fawley hit into a 4-6-3 double play. Luke Cheng started the third inning with a single before a Federico strikeout and a Hill 1-4-3 double play.
South Carolina threw 10 pitches in the third inning, six pitches in the fifth, seven pitches in the sixth inning, 10 pitches in the seventh inning and nine pitches in the ninth inning.
Jake McCoy allowed the one run in 6.1 innings, setting his season high for innings and fewest runs allowed. He had walked 11 total in his previous two starts.
Riley Maddox gave up four hits and four runs – three earned – in 2.1 innings. He walked three, struck out three and gave up one home run. Brayden Jones threw two scoreless innings to settle things down, but Ole Miss couldn’t mount anything offensively during that time.
The Rebels’ bullpen gave up just one run over a 4.2-inning stretch following Maddox. Carolina added two runs in the eighth after a walk, error, sacrifice bunt and single. Ole Miss committed three errors defensively.
Federico scored both runs and joined Utermark in getting on base twice.
"You have to be ready to play because this league will chew you up and spit you out," Bianco said. "You have to be tough enough, no matter the records. It starts with more energy and confidence. It’s been a bad weekend, but it can be a really bad weekend."
