The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebel Baseball Loses in 11 Innings
6/21/1999 | Baseball
April 18, 1999
OXFORD, Miss. - Three Ole Miss errors amounted to six unearned runs as Georgia went on to beat the Rebels 11-7 in 11 innings and salvage the final game of the three-game Southeastern Conference series.
The loss snapped Ole Miss' seven game winning streak as the Rebels fell to 23-17 overall and 12-6 in the SEC. Georgia improved to 20-19 overall and 6-11 in the SEC.
Trailing 5-3 in the ninth, the Bulldogs scratched out two runs on two hits off Rebel closer Justin Huisman to tie the game at 5-5.
Georgia took a 7-5 lead in the 10th, as two Rebel errors led to two unearned runs. After Mark Thornhill started the inning with a single and back-to-back fielding errors loaded the bases for the Bulldogs with no outs. Despite the two errors, Ole Miss looked it still might escape the inning without any damage as Jeff Hudson lined into a double play. However, Jeff Keppinger followed with a two-run single to left.
The Rebels, though, would answer in the 10th on Banks Robinson's two-out, two-run, bases loaded single to tie the game and put runners on first and third. Carl Lafferty then followed with a shot to left center that looked like it would fall for the game-winner but Georgia center fielder Brian Rainwater made a spectacular diving catch to send the game into the 11th inning.
In the 11th, a two-out Ole Miss error opened the door to four unearned runs. With two outs and a runner on second, Thornhill hit a Joey Cramblitt pitch back up the middle and it skipped off of second baseman Brad Henderson's glove and allowed Chris Crawford to score the go-ahead run from second. Chris Hays followed with a double to move Thornhill to third and Kris Edge followed with a two-run single to make it 10-7 and start a string four-straight hits.
Hudson and Rainwater each picked up four hits on the day as Georgia out-hit the Rebels 18-9. Keppinger added three hits and drove in four runs.
Brad Henderson and Robert Shelton led Ole Miss at the plate, each collecting three hits. Henderson broke Kevin Kessinger's school career-hit record of 262 with his three hits. Michael Rosamond went 2-for-4 with two RBI and hit his 14th home run of the season.
Phillip Sledge, 2-2, picked up the win in relief, pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Joey Cramblitt, 2-2, suffered the loss, allowing four unearned runs on four hits in 2/3 of an inning.
Georgia starter Cliff Brand recorded a career-high 15 strike outs in 9 2/3 innings of work.
Ole Miss will return to action Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. when the Rebels host Arkansas State in a non-conference contest. The Rebels will play at Memphis on Wednesday before stepping back into SEC play next Friday at Auburn in the first of a three-game series.
W- Sledge (2-2)
Georgia 000 002 102 24 - 11 18 1Ole Miss 000 100 130 20 - 7 9 3
L- Cramblitt (2-2)
HR- Rosamond (14)
T- 3:45
ATT- 2,375
