The University of Mississippi Athletics
Baseball Looks to Build on Momentum
6/21/1999 | Baseball
April 13, 1998
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss will look to build on the momentum gained from Sunday's dramatic 10-6 victory over No. 4 Florida when the Rebels host Southern Mississippi in a two- game series starting Tuesday at 7 p.m at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.
The two teams split a two-game set last week in Hattiesburg with the Rebels winning the first game 19-7 and the Golden Eagles returning the favor 17-10 in game two.
Ole Miss stands at 20-18 after dropping two-of-three at Florida over the weekend. Freshman Robert Shelton helped the Rebels salvage the final game of the series with a two-out, pinch-hit grand slam in Sunday's series-finale. Lance Tolbert pitched the entire nine innings to earn the win and move to 3-4 on the year. Tolbert held the high-powered Gator offense to just two hits after third inning. Junior outfielder Bobby Kielty continued his hot streak at the plate over the weekend, going 6-for-15 in the three-game series with the Gators. Kielty also had a big series against Southern Mississippi last week, going 7-for-11 with three home runs and eight RBIs. He was 4- for-6 with two home runs and six RBIs in the series opener and led-off the contest with a solo shot on the game's first pitch. Kielty has hit in six-straight games since having a 16-game hitting streak snapped on April 4 against South Carolina and has hit safely in 22 of the last 23 games. Kielty also became the third Rebel this season to record 10 or more home runs -- joining senior Jason Huisman and junior Brad Henderson -- when he hit a solo shot in the fourth inning on Saturday. It marked the first time since 1977 that the Rebels have had three players hit 10 or more home runs in the same season.
Ole Miss is also now a home run shy of tying the school single-season home run record of 66 set by that 1977 team.
Southern Mississippi dropped two-of-three at UNC Charlotte this past weekend in Conference USA action and carries a 21-15 mark into Oxford. Outfielder Cliff Wren is hitting at a stellar .460-clip to lead the Golden Eagles at the plate and has recorded seven home runs and 46 RBIs. First baseman Jeremy Schied leads the team in home runs with 12 and RBIs with 57 and is hitting .384. As a team, the Golden Eagles are hitting .331 and have eight players with averages .300 or better. The Golden Eagles are scheduled to start right-hander Josh Walker in Tuesday's series- opener. Walker will be making his seventh start of the year and is 1-5 with a 7.30 ERA. Right- hander Drew Johnson is scheduled to start Wednesday's game. Johnson is 4-4 with a 4.95 ERA and has recorded 52 strikeouts in 60 innings this season. Ole Miss is undecided about Tuesday's start but is scheduled to start sophomore right- hander Joey Cramblitt on Wednesday. Cramblitt is 6-2 this season with a 3.86 ERA. Tuesday's game is Turn Back The Clock Night sponsored by Ramada Inn. All tickets are half-price and all cokes, hotdogs and popcorn will be fifty-cents.
