Feb. 21, 2013

Game Notes - Rhode Island

Date: Feb. 22-24, 2013
Times: 4 p.m./1:00 p.m./1:30 p.m.
Location: Oxford, Miss.
Venue: Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field
Capacity: 10,323
Surface: Grass
Series: First Meeting
    In Oxford: First Meeting
Radio: Ole Miss Radio Network
Television: None
Live Video: RebelVision
Live Stats: OleMissSports.com
Live Blog: 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).
•     Ole Miss is coming off a 15-2 win over UT-Martin on Wednesday night that saw six players make their 2013 debut. Four of those players made their Rebel debuts.
•     Against UT-Martin, every Rebel starter notched a hit with six players delivering multiple-hits and the Rebels put at least two runs on the board in each scoring inning on the way to the win.
•     The Rebels also posted 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.
•     Rebel relievers allowed only three runs through a combined 18.0 innings of work to date.

PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday, 4:00 PM
URI - Mike Bradstreet, Sr., RHP
Ole Miss - Bobby Wahl, Jr., RHP
NOTING WAHL:
•     Allowed three hits with eight strikeouts over 6.1 innings and held TCU to a .143 batting average in first outing.
•     Wahl has now combined for four shutouts in his career with the most recent outing against the Horned Frogs.
•     He anchors a pitching staff that was third in the SEC in team ERA (1.33) after the opening weekend.
•    Wahl is now 3-1 in starts against ranked-foes for his career with shutouts over No. 1 Florida in 2012 and #12 TCU this season. He has also taken no-decision in three of those outings, but left with the lead each time.

SATURDAY, 1:00 PM
URI - Sean Furney, Sr., RHP
Ole Miss - Mike Mayers, Jr., RHP
NOTING MAYERS:
•    Mayers makes his second start of the season as he continues to hold down the Saturday spot in the rotation for the second consecutive year.
•    Mayers worked 4.2 innings with four walks and three strikeouts in game two against #12 TCU last weekend.
•    The right-hander held TCU to a .250 batting average with only four hits in the outing.

SUNDAY, 1:30 PM
URI - Liam O'Sullivan, Jr., RHP
Ole Miss - Chris Ellis, Soph., RHP
NOTING ELLIS:
•    Ellis will be making his third career start and second in the weekend rotation against the Rams on Sunday.
•    Matched Wahl in allowing the Horned Frogs to only hit at a .143 clip in his first weekend start.
•    Allowed one run on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts while picking up the win in 4.0 IP.
•    Worked on a predetermined pitch count in the opening weekend to pick up the victory.

REBELS vs. RHODE ISLAND
Ole Miss continues to play at home this week with four games and kicks off the second weekend of competition against the Rams of Rhode Island on Friday afternoon. It will be the first meeting between Rhode Island and Ole Miss in the history of the two programs.

•    Rhode Island enters the weekend after being swept on the road in the opening weekend at Florida State.
•    Despite the losses, the Rams were competitive against the Seminoles, leading late in game three before falling in extra innings after a 6-2 lead through seven and a half innings of play.
•    Joe Landi leads the way at the plate, hitting .385 with two RBI and two runs scored through three games.
•    Sean Furney is the top pitcher in the rotation with a 2.25 ERA, but seven walks to five strikeouts to date.

PROMOTIONS ABOUND AT SWAYZE FIELD IN 2013
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. This weekend features Bobby Wahl poster night on Friday as the Rebels open the weekend series against Rhode Island.

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 475 wins as the Rebel skipper and is 25 shy of 500 wins as head coach at Ole Miss. For his coaching career, Bianco holds 575 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 475 wins, Bianco is 11 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.