The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Hosts Florida for Three-Game Series
6/21/1999 | Baseball
April 8, 1999
OXFORD, Miss. -- After splitting its two mid-week games, Ole Miss steps back into Southeastern Conference play Friday at 7:00 p.m. when the Rebels will host Florida in the first of a three-game series.
Saturday's second game of the series has been switched from a 4:00 p.m. start to a 7:00 p.m. start to accommodate The Sunshine Network's broadcast of the game back to Florida. Sunday's series-finale is at 1:30 p.m.
Ole Miss brings a 17-16 record into the weekend and is in fifth-place in the SEC West with a 7-5 conference mark. Florida is 22-12 on the year and in second-place in the SEC East with a 6-6 SEC record.
Senior second baseman Brad Henderson comes in to the weekend as the SEC's leading hitter in conference games with a .500 batting average in 12 SEC contests. He picked up three hits in the two mid-week games against Southern Mississippi and Memphis to move into second-place on the Ole Miss career hit list with 251, 11 shy of career leader Kevin Kessinger. For the year, Henderson is hitting .397 with three home runs and 18 RBIs, and is currently riding a season-long nine-game hitting streak, which is also the longest by a Rebel this season.
Sophomore Justin Huisman picked up his ninth save of the year Wednesday in the Rebels' 5-2 win over Memphis to tie Rory Ferrell's 22-year old school single-season record for saves. Huisman is now one save shy of tying Skipper Wright for the Rebel career record of 13. Huisman is also batting .322 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs while playing shortstop.
Florida was swept by Arkansas last weekend in Gainesville and defeated Bethune-Cookman, 20-4, Wednesday night in mid-week action. The Gators are hitting .298 as a team led by Mark Ellis' .358 average. Ellis also has 10 home runs and a team-high 33 RBIs. Greg Catalanotte is hitting .341 and has hit a team-leading 11 home runs with 29 RBIs. The Gator pitching staff ranks third in the SEC with team ERA of 4.58.
Junior right-hander Jeff McAvoy, 5-3, 6.14 ERA, is scheduled to start Friday's series-opener for Ole Miss. Florida is scheduled to counter with junior right-hander Matt McClendon, 4-2, 4.11 ERA.
On Saturday, Ole Miss is expected to start junior right-hander Dan McShea, 4-1, 3.86 ERA, against Florida sophomore right-hander Keith Brice, 5-3, 4.17 ERA. Sunday's pitching match-up has Florida's freshman right-hander Jay Belflower going to the mound, 1-1, 5.88 ERA, while Ole Miss is undecided on a starter.
