The University of Mississippi Athletics
Baseball Falls to Long Beach State 4-3 in 10
6/21/1999 | Baseball
May 28, 1999
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Scott Redfox's one-out pinch-hit RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted Long Beach State to a 4-3 victory over Ole Miss in a NCAA Regional game in College Station, Texas.
The Rebels will now face the loser of the Texas A&M-Monmouth game tomorrow at 10 a.m. in an elimination game.
"This was an oustanding college baseball game," said Ole Miss head coach Pat Harrison. "All three pitchers pitched great, especially Jeff McAvoy. We just didn't help him much on offense. He has pitched like that all season for us."
Ole Miss stranded 12 runners on base including nine runners in scoring position, as the Rebels wasted a solid performance by starter Jeff McAvoy.
McAvoy, 8-6, pitched a complete game, going a career-long 9 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits while walking none and striking out three. For McAvoy, it was his second straight start in which the Rebel offense failed to come through. Ole Miss stranded 17 runners in a 7-6 loss to Alabama in the SEC Tournament opener during McAvoy's last start on May 19.
Michael Rosamond went 3-for-4 with a home run and a double to lead Ole Miss at the plate as the Rebels out-hit the 49ers 12-8. Rosamond hit a solo home run in the second to tie the game at 1-1 and snap a string of 18 scoreless inning for Ole Miss.
The Rebels added another run in the second when Carl Lafferty followed Rosamond with a double. Jude Voltz and Justin Huisman then delivered a back-to-back singles to score Lafferty and give the Rebels a 2-1 lead.
The 49ers tied the game in the bottom of the third. Curt Lee doubled to lead-off the inning and moved to third on AJ LaBarbera's sacrifice bunt. Lee then scored on Terrmel Sledge's RBI ground out to first.
Long Beach State grabbed a 3-2 lead in the fifth on back-to-back two-out extra-base hits by Sledge and Mike Hota.
Ole Miss would tie the game in the seventh following an hour rain delay. Robert Shelton hit a pinch-hit single to start the inning and moved to second on a balk by reliever Darren Merrill. Shelton then scored two batters later from third base on a fielding error by Long Beach State shortstop LaBarbera.
The Rebels had a chance to score the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th but stranded runners on second and third. Rosamond led-off the inning with a double. After Carl Lafferty grounded out to third, failing to advance Rosamond to third, the Merrill intentionally walked Banks Robinson to set-up a possible double play.
Long Beach State then brought in closer Jeremy Ward to face Justin Huisman and coaxed Huisman to ground out to third, advancing the runners to second and third. Ward, though, then struck out Shelton to end the threat.
Ward, 3-3, earned the win pitching 2/3 of an innin in relief.
49er-starter Mike Gallo worked six complete innings before being lifted following the rain delay. Gallo allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out four.
Greg Dobbs went 2-for-4, with a solo home run in the first inning to put the 49ers up 1-0, to lead Long Beach State at the plate.
OLE MISS 020 000 100 0 - 3 12 0LONG BEACH ST. 101 010 000 1 - 4 8 2W- Ward (3-3) L- McAvoy (8-6)HR- Rosamond (18), Dobbs (8)T- 2:55 ATT- 4,476
