Feb. 19, 2013

Ole Miss - UT-M Game Note

Date: Feb. 20, 2013
Location: Oxford, Miss.
Venue: Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field
Capacity: 10,323
Surface: Grass
Series: Ole Miss leads 13-1
    In Oxford: Ole Miss leads 12-1
    Last Meeting: Ole Miss won 20-4 (3/6/13)
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Television: None
Live Stats: OleMissSports.com
Twitter Updates: @OleMissBSB

OLE MISS QUICK HITS
•  Ole Miss moved up in the national rankings after a weekend sweep of No. 12 TCU. The Rebels are ranked as high as No. 8 (Baseball America) and are also ranked 14th (Perfect Game), 16th (Collegiate Baseball) and 18th (NCBWA).
•  The Rebels are coming off a series sweep of No. 12 TCU to open the season. It is the first time Ole Miss has swept a ranked team in the opening weekend in program history. It also marks the first time the Rebels have posted a sweep of a ranked team since taking three games from No. 5 LSU in the 2010 season.
•  Senior RHP Brett Huber became the career saves leader in the season opener, closing out the game against TCU. He also picked up his second save of the season on Saturday and has 28 saves for his career.
•  Junior catcher Stuart Turner came up with a memorable hit for his first as a Rebel, belting out a grand slam in the first inning of Sunday’s game to power Ole Miss to the sweep of TCU.
•  Rebel relievers allowed only one run through a combined 12.0 innings of work over the TCU series.
•  Ole Miss junior Bobby Wahl was named the SEC Pitcher of the Week following the sweep of the Horned Frogs.

Probable Pitching Matchups
WEDNESDAY, 4:00 PM
UT-M - Carter Smith, Soph., LHP
Ole Miss - Sam Smith, Soph., RHP
NOTING SMITH:
•     Smith is making his 10th start of his career when he takes the mound against UT-Martin on Wednesday.
•     Started the 2012 meeting against the Skyhawks, working 3.2 innings with a career-high six strikeouts and
    allowed only two runs on four hits with a pair of walks. Did not take a decision in the game.
•     Smith posted made nine starts on 13 appearances as a freshman in 2012.
•     For the season, the right-hander posted a 5.80 ERA with 27 strikeouts and only eight walks.
•     The start on Wednesday night will be Smith’s first action of the season.

REBELS vs. UT-MARTIN
Ole Miss continues to play at home this week with four games and kicks off the second week of competition with a single mid-week game against UT-Martin on Wednesday. It will be the 14th time the two teams will have met in Oxford in the series history.

•  Ole Miss holds a 13-1 lead over the Skyhawks all-time and are 12-1 in Oxford since the first meeting in 1992.
•  The only other meeting between the two schools came in Jackson, Tenn., in the 2000 season.
•  The Skyhawks are coming off a weekend where they were swept on the road at Southeastern Louisiana and have a Tuesday night home showdown with Southern Illinois before coming to Oxford.
•  LHP Carter Smith will take the mound for the Skyhawks after taking the loss in relief in the season opener.
•  Smith worked an inning in the 2012 outing, allowing one run on one hit.

WAHL NAMED SEC PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Junior right-hander Bobby Wahl was named the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week following the opening weekend of play as he set the tone for a series sweep of the 12th-ranked Horned Frogs.   It was the fourth combined shutout of Wahl’s career and second over a nationally-ranked team. Wahl also posted a shutout of then No. 1 Florida in the series opener during the 2012 season in Oxford. Against TCU, Wahl worked 6.1 innings and allowed only three hits with three walks and eight strikeouts.

REBELS ENJOY HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE UNDER BIANCO
Ole Miss has enjoyed success on the home field under head coach Mike Bianco over the course of 13 seasons. The excitement and energy generated by Rebel fans has helped the squad post a record of 311-116-1 at Swayze Field for a .728 winning percentage in that time.

PROMOTIONS ABOUND AT SWAYZE FIELD IN 2013 - KID'S NIGHT & DOLLAR DOGS ON WEDNESDAY
Visitors to Oxford-University Stadium this season will have plenty to look forward to besides just some of the most exciting baseball in the country. Ole Miss Marketing has gameday promotions lined up throughout the course of the season that are sure to please the crowds. Wednesday night’s promotion at Swayze Field is “Kid’s Night” and “Dollar Dog Night”. Kids under 12 will get in free to the park, while hot dogs will be on sale for one dollar.

BIANCO CLOSING IN ON 500 WINS
Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco is closing in on a milestone with the Rebels this season. Bianco enters the season sitting on 474 wins as the Rebel skipper and is 26 shy of 500 wins as head coach at Ole Miss. For his coaching career, Bianco holds 574 wins after picking up 100 victories in three seasons as head coach at McNeese State prior to taking over at Ole Miss for the 2001 season.

TOP OF THE REBEL COACHING RANKS
While he is closing in on the 500 win mark at Ole Miss, Bianco will hit another milestone on his way to the 500-win mark. WIth his 474 wins, Bianco is 12 wins away from taking over the top spot as winningest coach in Ole Miss baseball history. Jake Gibbs (1972-1990) is the current leader with 485 career victories.