April 8, 2012

Box Score

LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the second game on the weekend, it was the team that got the big hit and not the most hits that won the contest as No. 10 Ole Miss (21-10, 6-6 SEC) fell to No. 1 Kentucky (30-3, 9-3 SEC) by a score of 8-3 on Sunday.

The Rebels out-hit the Wildcats 11-to-8 in the game, but left eight men stranded on the afternoon while Kentucky got the big hit in the sixth to take the lead for good on a grand slam from Cameron Flynn. Ole Miss led 2-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth.

R.J. Hively (3-2) suffered the loss for Ole Miss, allowing six runs on five hits with two walks and eight strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work.

Corey Littrell (5-0) picked up the win, holding the Rebels to two runs on nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work. Alex Phillips picked up his second save of the season, working the final 3.0 innings for the Wildcats and taking the mound with Ole Miss on top 2-1 to start the sixth inning.

“Today was similar to Friday in that we were unable to get the big hit,” said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. “Kentucky did that this weekend, that’s why they’re so good.

“Kentucky pitched well all weekend with the exception of the fifth inning on Friday,” Bianco continued. “We did as well, except for in the sixth inning today. There were just two really good teams going at it this weekend.”

Ole Miss got on the board in the first inning when Tanner Mathis scored on a single to right field from Matt Snyder. Mathis reached on a single up the middle and took second on a single through the left side from Auston Bousfield. Mathis then took third on a fly out from Yarbrough before scoring on the Snyder hit to put the Rebels up 1-0.

Kentucky answered in the second inning with a solo home run from Luke Maile to open the home half of the inning.

Ole Miss moved back in front in the sixth inning, using a double to left from Will Allen to start things off. Allen then moved to third on a sac bunt from Preston Overbey before scoring on a single to left from Andrew Mistone. The Rebels didn’t get another run in the inning, but held a 2-1 lead heading to the bottom of the inning.

Kentucky moved back into the lead in the sixth inning, loading the bases with no outs before Maile came up with a liner to third. A diving snag stopped the ball from getting through the infield, but Maile was safe at first as Snyder came off the bag to field the throw and a run scored to tie the game.

The bases remained loaded and Cameron Flynn hit a grand slam to right field to put the Wildcats on top of the Rebels 6-2.

Ole Miss got a run back in the seventh when Mathis scored on a groundout from Snyder. Mathis singled before moving to third on a double to the left field wall from Yarbrough to set up the score on the Snyder ball that cut the lead to 6-3.

Kentucky responded with a single run in the seventh and the eighth to push the score out to the final margin of victory of 8-3.

Ole Miss will return to action on Tuesday, hosting Central Arkansas in a doubleheader that will begin at 3 p.m. at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.