| Ole Miss Rallies Past No. 12 Missouri 9-6, Advances to Face Top-Ranked Miami | ||||||||||||
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Scott Bittle struck out a career-high 12 batters and the Rebels used a eighth inning grand slam from Logan Power to rally as Ole Miss (39-25) clawed its way into the Regional Championship game with a 9-6 win over No. 12 Missouri (39-21) on Sunday. With the win, the Rebels advanced to face No. 1 and top-seeded Miami in the Championship game Sunday afternoon at 4:37 p.m. Bittle (7-1) picked up the win with 4.1 innings of relief work as he allowed two runs on three hits with three walks and 12 strikeouts. Bittle recorded all 13 outs for the Rebels in his time on the mound with the 12 strikeouts and an unassisted groundout to the mound. Missouri reliever Kyle Gibson (9-4) suffered the loss for the Tigers as he allowed four runs on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 1.0 inning of work. Gibson entered the game in the eighth for Missouri. It was a pitcher's duel early as the Rebels stranded four runners through the first four innings while Rebels left fielder Power had robbed at least one home run from the Tigers and held the second-seed in check while Bukvich confused the Missouri hitters. Missouri, who had been held hitless heading into the fifth inning, got on the board with a bloop single over the head of the shortstop to drive in one run from second and leave runners at the corners with two outs. A line drive double from the next batter pushed a second run home as the Tigers took a 2-0 lead. Missouri then came up with a two-RBI single through the left side to push the lead out to 4-0 and the Rebels went to the bullpen for Scott Bittle. Bittle struck out the next batter to end the inning with Missouri in the lead. Jordan Henry came up with an RBI double in the bottom half of the inning to score Ferguson and push Basham to third. Basham then scored on a wild pitch that moved Henry to third. Fuller Smith doubled to left center to score Henry and advanced to third on a sac bunt from Logan Power. Missouri then went to the bullpen and brought in Allen to reliever Berger. Cody Overbeck tied the game at four with an RBI single through the left side that pushed Smith across the plate. Allen was able to get the Tigers out of the inning, however, as he struck out the next two batters and the Rebels left two men on. Ole Miss claimed the lead in the seventh inning with another RBI single from Overbeck that scored Fuller Smith from third. Smith doubled before moving to third on a sac bunt from Power as the Rebels claimed the lead. Missouri answered and reclaimed the lead in the eighth with a two-out RBI single through the left side that scored Jacob Priday from second that tied things at five. The Tigers then took the lead on a wild play that saw Steve Gray beat out a throw to first on a grounder to short while pinch runner Ryan Myer scored from second with no throw at home as the Rebels thought they had recorded the final out of the inning at first, only to see the umpire call Gray safe as Myer crossed the plate. Logan Power then powered the Rebels back into the lead with a grand slam in the eight, his second of the season, to put Ole Miss up 9-6 and the final margin of victory.
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Courtesy: Associated Press
