Ole Miss Hosts Kentucky in SEC Contest

March 19, 1999

KENTUCKY VISITS IN THE REBELS FIRST SEC HOME SERIES
The Ole Miss Rebels (9-11, 1-2 SEC) will host the Kentucky Wildcats tonight at 7:00 p.m. in their first SEC home series of 1999. Ole Miss opened its SEC season last weekend at South Carolina, while Kentucky, 5-10, 1-2 SEC, opened its conference schedule at home against Vanderbilt. Ole Miss carries a three-game winning streak into tonight's game after winning Sunday at South Carolina and beating NE Louisiana, 8-7 on Tuesday, and Morehead State, 22-0 on Wednesday. Tonight's game can be heard on Oxford's Q-93.7 FM and over the internet at www.wqlj.com. This weekend's games are also available along stations on the Mississippi Network. David Kellum and Gary Darby will provide play-by-play and color commentary.

SCOUTING KENTUCKY
Kentucky will bring a 5-10 overall record into this weekend's series after beating Miami (OH) 13-2 Tuesday in Lexington. The Wildcats are 1-2 in the SEC after hosting Vanderbilt last weekend. Sophomore OF Beau Moore leads Kentucky in hitting with a .347 average (17-for-49) with two HRs and eight RBIs. Sophomore C/IF Josh Wilson leads the Wildcats in home runs with six and is hitting .305 (18-for-59) with 12 RBIs. Junior OF Brock Price is hitting .333 (19-for-57) with five HRs and a team-leading 13 RBIs.

SERIES HISTORY
Ole Miss lead the series 19-14 and has won the last two series' from Kentucky, winning 2-1 in Oxford in 1997 and 2-1 in Lexington last year. Kentucky's last series win was in 1996 when they swept the Rebels in Lexington. Ole Miss' last sweep of Kentucky came in Lexington back in 1986.

THIS WEEKEND'S ROTATION
Ole Miss will start junior RHP Jeff McAvoy in tonight's series opener. McAvoy is 3-3 with a 6.75 ERA after suffering a 5-3 loss, despite fanning a career-high 10, in his previous start last Friday at South Carolina. Kentucky is slated to counter with sophomore RHP Brandon Webb, 1-1, 4.43 ERA. Junior RHP Joey Cramblitt, 2-1, 5.06 ERA is scheduled to be the Saturday starter for the Rebels, and Ole Miss lists TBA for Sunday. Kentucky will start either junior RHP Nathan Kent, 1-3, 3.45 ERA, or junior RHP Ben Shaffar, 1-2, 5.28 ERA on Saturday. Either Kent or Shaffar will also start Sunday.

SOME NOTES ON WEDNESDAY'S 13-RUN SECOND INNING
Wednesday's 13-run second inning against Morehead State came 10 years and eight days after the Rebels set a school record for runs scored in an inning with 14 against Illinois College on March 9, 1989. Ole Miss hit three home runs in the outburst, getting two-run shots from John Massey and Michael Rosamond and a three-run shot by J.T. Harrison to cap the inning. The last time Ole Miss had hit three home runs in the same inning was exactly a year to date on Wednesday, March 17, 1998 at NE Louisiana with a two-run home runs by Matt Ceriani and Brad Henderson and a solo shot from Jason Huisman in the eighth inning of a 16-4 win.

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE...
Wednesday's combined one-hitter by pitchers Chad Mead, Glen Morris and Dan McShea marked the first one-hitter turned in by Ole Miss pitching since Feb. 20, 1993 in a game against UT-Martin in Oxford. Three Rebels pitchers also teamed up in that performance as starter Matt Ryan allowed one hit in seven innings, and reliever Jason Lowe and Jason McKenzie each turned pitched a perfect inning of relief in a 17-0 win in the 93 season-opener. Morehead State's lone hit on Wednesday was an infield single by Nathan Bishop off Morris in the seventh.

A FEW MORE WORDS ON WEDNESDAY'S GAME
Wednesday's 22-0 win over Morehead State was the most runs scored by Ole Miss under third-year head coach Pat Harrison. The 22-run margin was also the largest margin of victory under Harrison, and Ole Miss' largest win since defeating Illinois College 28-0 on March 9, 1989. The 22 runs was also the most Ole Miss had scored in a game since beating Southern Mississippi 25-5 in 1992.

HENDERSON'S HEATING UP
Senior 2B Brad Henderson has raised his average 45 points to .386 over the last 10 games, going 18-for-42 (.429) since Feb. 27. Only SS Justin Huisman's .459 average since Feb. 27 is higher than Henderson's. Over the past five games, Henderson has been the Rebels' hottest hitter at the plate, going 11-for-22. On Wednesday, the Tupelo native went 3-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to six games the longest current streak by a Rebel and marked his seventh, three-hit game of 1999. For the year, Henderson has collected a team-high 11 multiple-hit games. Coming into Friday's game, Henderson leads the Ole Miss regulars in hitting with a .386 average (32-for-83) with one HR and eight RBIs. Henderson also leads the team in hits (32) and doubles (8).

HUISMAN FILLING CLOSER ROLE NICELY
Huisman pitched a scoreless ninth inning Tuesday against NE Louisiana to record his fifth save in as many opportunities this season. He comes into the weekend tied with Alabama's Lance Cormier for the SEC lead in saves. Opponents are hitting .067 (1-for-15) against Huisman this season as he has allowed just one hit and one walk in 5.1 innings. He has fanned six of the 16 batters he has faced this season and has stranded seven of eight baserunners (.875) he has inherited, so far this season. Huisman's five saves this season already surpasses his total of three a year ago in which he led the Rebels.

WILLIAMSON COMES THROUGH AGAIN
Senior OF Alex Williamson has continued his trademark of being the team's top pinch-hitter. Trailing 7-5 in the ninth on Tuesday, Williamson delivered a one-out pinch-hit single to put runners on first and second and set the table for Ole Miss' ninth-inning rally. He is now 4-for-6 as a pinch-hitter this season and is now 11-for-23 (.478) in his career.

NOT SO DEAD BATS
Don't tell the Ole Miss Rebels that the new bats being used in college baseball this season are supposed to cut down on the number of home runs. Ole Miss hit three home runs in a 22-0 win over Morehead State on Wednesday to move three home runs ahead of last year's pace in which they set a school record with 98 in 53 games. Despite losing its top two home run hitters from last season Jason Huisman (21 HRs) and Bobby Kielty (16) the Rebels have hit 30 HRs in their first 20 games this season, compared to 27 at this point last season. Sophomores Robert Shelton and Huisman are tied for the team lead in home runs with five. Shelton's five HRs matches his total from a season ago, and Huisman's five HRs is one more than his total from all of last season.

STREAKS AND SUCH

Henderson comes into tonight's game with Kentucky a career .344 hitter (11-for-32) against the Wildcats in nine career games. Junior 1B Jude Voltz is 4-for-8 in four games against Kentucky, and senior OF Chad Mead and Shelton went 4-for-10 last year against the Wildcats in Lexington.

Henderson is four hits shy of tying Kary Bridges (1991-93) for fourth-place on the Ole Miss career hit list 233. He is also three RBIs away from tying Kevin Kessinger (1989-92) for eighth-place on the Rebel career RBI chart and his next HR will tie him with Jason Huisman (1995-98) for third-place with 31 on the career HR chart.

During last year's 21-8 win at Kentucky on March 15, Henderson tied a school single-game record with seven official at-bats. Henderson went 4-for-7 in that game with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs scored as Rebels pounded out 19 hits.

Massey's two-run home run in the second inning Wednesday was his first home run in 58 at-bats. Massey hadn't homered since the seventh inning on Feb. 12 against Baylor in a game where he tied a school single-game record with three HRs during a 15-6 Rebel win.

Freshman Banks Robinson picked up his first career RBI Wednesday when he scored Burney Hutchinson in the ninth on a ground out to second.

Freshman Adam Brown tied a career-high with two RBIs on a two-run single in the sixth inning Wednesday against Morehead State. Brown also had two RBIs versus New Orleans on Feb. 20 at the Winn-Dixie Showdown.

Junior Craig Nugen set a career-high with two hits Wednesday vs. Morehead State and also tied a career-high with two RBIs.

Williamson also tied a career-high with two RBIs Wednesday, driving in two runs with a double in the eighth.

Henderson, at second, Hill, in center field, and Huisman, at shortstop, are the only three players to start all 20 games at the same position this season. Senior OF Chad Mead has also started all 20 games this season, making 14 starts in left field, five on the mound and one as the DH.

Heading into the weekend, Ole Miss ranks third in the SEC in home runs with 30. The Rebels also have struck out a league-high 164 times this season (see Rebels in the SEC Statistics on page 4).

Shelton entered the week leading the SEC in fielding among third baseman with a .970 fielding percentage. Through, March 12, Shelton had committed just one error in 33 chances this season after fielding at just a .784-clip last season.

Junior OF Michael Rosamond is tied for the SEC lead in triples with three. The Rebels as a team, are second in the SEC with nine (see Rebels in the SEC Statistics on page 4).

The Ole Miss pitching staff leads the SEC in saves with six. Huisman has a league-leading five saves and McShea has notched one save.

Mead notched his first career victory in Wednesday's 22-0 win over Morehead State, pitching five hitless innings while walking two and tying a career-high with four strike outs.

Freshman OF Kris Cox tied a career-high with two hits Wednesday vs. Morehead State, going 2-for-3. Cox also recorded two hits last Sunday in his first career start at South Carolina.

Tuesday's 8-7 win marked Ole Miss' first win this season when trailing after seven innings. Ole Miss came into Tuesday 0-11 when trailing after seven. On the other hand, the Rebels are 7-0 when leading after seven this season and have won 27 straight when leading after eight innings.

Freshman RHP Cooper Campbell notched his first career win on Tuesday at NE Louisiana, pitching 1.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing no hits and no walks and striking out a career-high three.

Freshman RHP Clint Farrar worked a season-high 3.2 innings of relief Tuesday against NLU. He allowed two unearned runs on two hits and four walks and tied a career-high with three strike outs.

ELEVEN TEAMS FROM THE 1998 NCAA TOURNAMENT HIGHLIGHT REBELS' 1999 SLATE
Last weekend's three-game series at South Carolina marked the sixth NCAA Tournament participant from last season that Ole Miss has faced in 1999. In all, the Rebels will play 11 schools this season that qualified for the 1998 NCAA Tournament, including College World Series participants Florida, LSU and Mississippi State. The Rebels are 5-8 this season against 1998 NCAA Tournament teams, having played Baylor (Feb. 12-14), Tulane (Feb. 19), LSU (Feb. 21), SE Missouri State (Feb. 23-24) and South Alabama (Feb. 26-28). Other 1998 NCAA Tournament teams the Rebels will play in 1999 are: Auburn (April 23-25), Alabama (April 30-May 2), and Arkansas (May 7-9).

REVIEWING THE WEEK
Ole Miss 8, NE Louisiana 7
Ole Miss concluded its seven-game road trip with a dramatic 8-7 win over NE Louisiana by scoring three runs in the ninth. The win marked the first time in 12 games this season that Ole Miss had rallied after trailing after seven innings. After singles by Justin Huisman and Alex Williamson, Brad Henderson hit a two-out single to score Huisman to cut the lead to 7-6. Jude Voltz then followed with a two-run double to put Ole Miss up 8-7. Huisman then came onto pitch a scoreless ninth inning to record his fifth save of the year. Cooper Campbell improved to 1-1 on the year, pitching 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. Eight different Ole Miss players recorded at least one hit, led by Huisman's 2-for- 3 night. Chad Mead and Carl Lafferty also homered in the game as the Rebels rallied from deficits of 5-2 and 7-4.

Wednesday- Ole Miss 22, Morehead St. 0
Ole Miss exploded for 13 runs in the second and three Rebel pitchers combined to throw a one-hitter as Ole Miss defeated Morehead State 22-0 Wednesday afternoon at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field. Carl Lafferty led the offensive onslaught by going 2-for-4 with a pair of two-RBI doubles, and senior second baseman Brad Henderson went 3-for-4 as the Rebels pounded out 19 hits. Michael Rosamond, John Massey and J.T. Harrison all homered during the 13-run second inning. Chad Mead, 1-1, notched is first career win as he pitched five hitless innings, walking two and striking out four. Glen Morris then came onto pitch the sixth and seventh innings, and Dan McShea came on in the eighth to close it out. The Eagles' lone hit of the game was an infield single by Nathan Bishop of Morris in the seventh.

POSITION PLAYER THUMBNAILS

2- Kris Cox (Fr., OF): Played in eight games, making one start ... is 6-for-13 with three RBIs, two doubles and three runs scored ... recorded his first career hit against New Orleans on Feb. 20 at the Winn-Dixie Showdown ... tallied his first career RBI with a double at Delta State (3/6) ... made his first collegiate start against South Carolina (3/12), starting in left and going 2-for-5 with a RBI ... also had two hits Wednesday vs. Morehead State.
Wednesday: 2-for-3, 2B, RBI

4- Ryan Davis (Soph., INF): Has appeared in 12 games ... is 1-for-5 with two RBIs ... recorded his first career hit with a ninth-inning RBI single at Delta State (3/6).
Wednesday: 0-for-2, SF, RBI

5- Banks Robinson (Fr., INF): Played in seven games, making one start at DH ... is 2-for-8 with a RBI and a run scored ... singled in his first career at-bat against Baylor on Feb. 12 ... recorded his first career RBI Wednesday vs. Morehead State with a grounder to second that scored Burney Hutchinson in the ninth.
Wednesday: 0-for-3, RBI

6- Jude Voltz (Jr., 1B): Played in all 20 games, starting 19 at first base ... is batting .286 (20-for-70) with three HRs and 10 RBIs ... also has four doubles, a triple and has scored 14 runs ... has a .500 slugging percentage ... is fielding at a .994-clip, committing just one error in 156 chances ... named to the Winn-Dixie Showdown All-Tournament team after going 7-for-12 in three games ... homered in back-to-back games against South Alabama on Feb. 26 and 27 ... had a six-game hitting streak from Feb. 23-March 2 ... delivered a game-winning, two-run double in the ninth inning last night.
Wednesday: 1-for-3

7- Burney Hutchinson (Fr., OF): Has played in 12 games, making three starts ... is 2-for-11 with two RBIs and three runs scored ... tallied his first career hit last against Delta State (3/6) with a RBI single in the ninth.
Wednesday: 1-for-1

8- Clint Farrar (Fr., INF): Has played in 10 games, making two starts ... is hitting .353 (6-for-17) ... has hit two doubles and has scored five runs ... made his first career start against SEMO on Feb. 23, going 1-for-4 with a run scored while serving as the DH ... recorded a career-high three hits at South Carolina (3/12), going 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored.
Wednesday: 0-for-0

9- Adam Brown (Fr., INF): Has played in nine games, making one start ... is 2-for-5 with a HR, four RBIs and five runs scored ... homered

The University of Mississippi Athletics

Related News

Related Videos