May 5, 2012

Box Score

OXFORD, Miss. - In a pitcher's duel between two of the Southeastern Conference's top pitchers, neither factored into the ultimate outcome as No. 24 Ole Miss (30-17, 10-12 SEC) fell to No. 4 LSU (37-10, 15-7 SEC) in 13 innings by a score of 4-3.

With the score tied in the top of the 13th, Grant Dozar delivered a single deep to short that scored Raph Rhymes from third to put LSU on top 4-3. Ole Miss couldn't answer in the bottom of the inning despite getting a man on base with a walk and one out and the Tigers grabbed the win in the series opener.

Rhymes reached on a one-out walk before moving to third on a single through the right side from Tyler Moore to set up the score on the Dozar hit.

R.J. Hively (4-4) took the loss for Ole Miss in relief, working 6.0 innings and allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Bobby Wahl worked 7.0 innings in the start, allowing two runs on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts. He left the game with the Rebels holding a 3-2 lead after seven complete.

Joey Bourgeois (3-2) picked up the win, allowing one hit with two walks and a strikeout in 1.0 inning of relief work. Nick Goody then picked up his ninth save of the season as he closed out the game with a walk and a strikeout in 1.0 inning of work.

LSU used six pitchers on the night, including 7.2 innings of work from starter Kevin Gausman. Gausman allowed three runs on six hits with four strikeouts in his time on the mound.

"I think our guys competed tremendously," said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. "We had a lead then a home run hits the top of the fence and gets out. We went into extra innings and we had so many opportunities to get a clutch hit. They really had one opportunity and they took it. That was they ballgame. R.J. Hively was unbelievable and tremendous. It almost looks like he pitched a complete game. His ball was fading just a little bit but he was gutsy."

LSU struck first, using a solo home run from Moore in the second inning to get on the board. The Tigers then added a second run in the third when Rhymes delivered an RBI single up the middle to score Austin Nola from second. Nola had reached on a single down the third base line before taking second on a groundout from Mason Katz and LSU led 2-0.

Ole Miss got on the board in the sixth when Auston Bousfield scored from second on a single through the right side from Tanner Mathis. Bousfield singled to open the inning and took second on a sac bunt from Will Jamison to set up the score on the Mathis hit.

The Rebels moved into the lead in the seventh when Matt Snyder opened the inning with a solo shot to right field to tie the game. Back-to-back singles from Will Allen and John Gatlin put two men on following the Snyder home run and a sac bunt from Austin Anderson moved them into scoring position. Senquez Golson then pinch ran for Allen at third before Bousfield delivered a sac fly to center to bring Golson home and put Ole Miss on top.

Dozar then came up with his first big hit of the night in the eighth, delivering a two-out home run to left field to tie the game at three and set up extra innings after neither team could score from there.

Ole Miss had opportunities with runners in scoring position in the 10th, 11th and 12th, that included a bases loaded situation in the 12th inning, but couldn't get a man home to claim the win.

The Rebels and Tigers will take the field for game two of the series at 2 p.m. on Saturday in a game televised by SportSouth.