The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Defeat Southeast Missouri State, 7-4
6/21/1999 | Baseball
Feb. 13, 1998
OXFORD, Miss. -- The Ole Miss Rebels defeated the Southeast Missouri State Indians in their season opener Friday 7-4. Jason Huisman delivered the big blow with a grand slam home run off Indian closer Dan Huesgen in the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie to cap off a five-run inning.
Huisman recorded a career-high five RBI and the grand slam was the second of his career. His other grand slam came against another Ohio Valley Conferenc school, Eastern Kentucky on Feb. 17, 1996. That game also was in the Rebels' season-opener.
Huisman also drove in Ole Miss' first run of the game with a single in the first to score Chad Hill, who tripled to lead-off the Rebels' half of the inning. Huisman later came around to score on a Michael Rosamond single to give Ole Miss a 2-0 lead.
Ole Miss took its 2-0 lead into the seventh inning before Southeast Missouri State pieced together a three-run inning. Indians shortstop Steve Lowe tied the game with a two-run double and Lowe scored the go-ahead run on a Ole Miss two-out error.
The Rebels tied the game in the eighth with a pinch-hit RBI single from junior college transfer Alex Williamson off Chad Bogenphol. Ole Miss later loaded the bases to set the stage for Huisman's heroics.
Ole Miss used three different pitchers with sophomore transfer Ryan Bukvich, from Delta State, picking up the win in relief. Starting pitcher senior Lance Tolbert pitched five strong innings, allowing no runs on just three hits and no walks.
Bogenphol was the losing pitcher for the Indians.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow in the second game of a three-game weekend series. Sophomore transfer from Western Carolina Jeff McAvoy is scheduled to make the start for Ole Miss. He will be opposed by junior left-hander Ryan Spille. Game time is set for 2 p.m. at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.
