The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Begin Seven-Game Road Trip at UAB
6/21/1999 | Baseball
March 1, 1999
UPCOMING THIS WEEK
Ole Miss (6-6) has just two games on its schedule this week, traveling to UAB on Tuesday and to Delta State on Saturday. Tuesday's game is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. in Birmingham, and Saturday's game with the Statesmen is set for 3:00 p.m. in Cleveland, Miss. All games can be heard on Oxford's WQLJ 93.7 FM and over the internet at www.wqlj.com.
REBELS BEGIN SEVEN-GAME ROAD TRIP TUESDAY AT UAB
Tuesday's game at UAB will mark the start of a seven-game road trip for Ole Miss. The Rebels won't play again at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field until March 17 when they host Morehead State. After Tuesday's game with the Blazers, the upcoming road swing will take Ole Miss to Delta State on Saturday, Arkansas State on Tues., March 9, South Carolina for a three-game series Fri.-Sun., March 12-14, before concluding on Tues., March 16 against NE Louisiana. The Rebels are 2-4 outside of Swayze Field this season, losing two-of-three at Baylor, Feb. 12-14, and going 1-2 at the Winn-Dixie Showdown in New Orleans, Feb. 19-21.
REBELS FINISH HOMESTAND WITH A 3-2 MARK
Despite Sunday's 8-7 loss to South Alabama, the Rebels concluded their recent five-game homestand with a 3-2 record. Ole Miss split a two-game midweek series with SE Missouri State on Tuesday and Wednesday, and took two-of-three from Jaguars over the weekend.
HARRISON VS. NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS
Ole Miss has a 39-21 (.650) mark versus non-conference opponents under third-year head coach Pat Harrison. The Rebels are 6-6 against non-conference teams this season, and went 17-8 in 1997, and 16-7 in Harrison's first year in 1996.
REBELS ERRORLESS-INNING STREAK ENDS AT 34
Ole Miss had its errorless-inning streak snapped at 34 in the second inning of Sunday's game with South Alabama. The 34-inning streak dated back to the fourth inning of this past Wednesday's game against SE Missouri State. Ole Miss has played four errorless games this season, after recording nine in 53 games last season. The Rebels currently have a team fielding percentage of .970, having committed 13 errors in 439 fielding chances this season.
GOING YARD, PART II
Through 12 games this season, the Rebels are one home run ahead of last year's pace in which they hit a school record 98 home runs, despite losing its top two power hitters from last season in Jason Huisman (21 HRs) and Boby Kielty (16). Ole Miss had hit 17 homers in its first 12 games last season, and have 18 this season. The Rebels hit seven in the three-game series with South Alabama this past weekend, including six in Saturday's 11-2 win.
STREAKS AND SUCH
- Dating back to last season, the Rebels have won 26 straight when leading after eight innings. Ole Miss was 20-0 last season when leading after eight innings of play and is 6-0 in 1999.
- Junior 1B Jude Voltz has the team's longest current hitting streak at five games. He has hit both of his season's home runs during the five-game streak. Senior OF/DH Chad Mead holds the team's longest hitting streak of the season, opening the year with an eight-game streak. Junior OF Chad Hill and senior OF/DH Alex Williamson both are currently riding four-game hitting streaks.
- Senior 2B Brad Henderson, Hill, sophomore SS Justin Huisman, and junior RF Michael Rosamond are all tied with a team-high five multiple-hit games this season. Henderson has four, three-hit games to his credit in 1999.
- Five players have started all 12 games in the same position this season: Henderson at second, Hill in center, Huisman at short, Rosamond in right, and Voltz at first. Mead has also started all 12 games this season, making 10 starts in left field and two on the mound.
- Hill is hitting .571 (8-for-14) since moving into the No. 2 spot four games ago on Wednesday against SE Missouri State. Hill batted in the lead-off position the first seven games of the season, and batted in the No. 8 spot last Tuesday against SEMO. Hill went 6-for-11 in this past weekend's three-game set with South Alabama and was 8-for-17 in five games this past week.
- Ole Miss recorded a season-high five doubles in Sunday's 8-7 loss to South Alabama. Sophomore 3B Robert Shelton hit two of Ole Miss' five two-base hits.
- Henderson tied an Ole Miss single-game record with nine assists in Saturday's game with South Alabama. Three others have recorded nine assists in a single-game: Steve Dillard versus LSU (4-24-71), Darryl Oliver against Memphis State (3-13-85) and Jason Huisman versus Southern California (3-16-96).
- Huisman recorded a career-high four hits in Saturday's game with USA, going 4-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs. His four RBIs also tied his career- high set last season against Arkansas (3/27). Huisman also opened Sunday's game with a single, giving him five-straight hits before having that string snapped when he grounded into a double play in the third. Saturday's game was also the first two-home run game of his career. Huisman led the Ole Miss regulars with a .474 average in five games this past week, going 9-for-19 at the plate with two HRs and seven RBIs.
- Huisman is also 3-for-3 in save conversions this season. His three saves matches his total from last season when he led the Rebels in saves.
- RHP Jeff McAvoy tied his career-high with eight strike outs in Friday's contest versus South Alabama. McAvoy also fanned eight against Memphis last Feb. 28 in a game played in Millington, Tenn.
- Ole Miss is 3-3 in games decided by two runs or less this season, including 0-2 in one-run contests. Both of the one-run games the Rebels have been involved in this season, came during this past week's five-game homestand. Ole Miss lost 1-0 to SE Missouri State on Wednesday and 8-7 to South Alabama on Sunday in the final game of this weekend's thre-game series.
- The fourth inning has been the Rebels big inning, so far this season, having outscored their opponents 23-11.
THIS TIME LAST YEAR
Ole Miss is one-game behind last year's pace as the Rebels were 7-5 through 12 games in 1998. However, the 1999 schedule has seen the Rebels play 10 games against teams that appeared in the 1998 NCAA Tournament. Ole Miss lost 4-1 to Memphis on Feb. 28 at the Service Academies Spring Classic in Millington, Tenn., during its 12th game of 1998.
ELEVEN TEAMS FROM THE 1998 NCAA TOURNAMENT HIGHLIGHT REBELS' 1999 SLATE
Ole Miss will face 11 schools this season that qualified for the 1998 NCAA Tournament, including College World Series participants Florida, LSU and Mississippi State. Ole Miss has played four of those teams, so far, this season. The Rebels opened their season with a three-game series at Baylor, Feb. 12-14, before playing NCAA Tournament participant Tulane and College World Series participant LSU at the Winn-Dixie Showdown, Feb. 19-21. Ole Miss hosted two NCAA Tournament teams this past week, playing SE Missouri State in a two-game, midweek series and South Alabama in a three-game series this past weekend. The Rebels are 4-6 this season against teams that appeared in the 1998 NCAA Tournament. Other 1998 NCAA Tournament teams the Rebels will play in 1999 are: South Carolina (Mar. 12-14), Auburn (April 23-25), Alabama (April 30-May 2), and Arkansas (May 7-9).
ROSAMOND, HENDERSON EARN PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA HONORS
Senior 2B Brad Henderson and junior OF Michael Rosamond have been named 1999 preseason All-Americans. Henderson, a second team All-SEC pick last season, was named to the third team Louisville Slugger Preseason All-America team by Collegiate Baseball newspaper, and Rosamond earned third team preseason All-America honors by Baseball America.
REVIEWING THE PAST WEEK
Tuesday- Ole Miss 6, SE Missouri State 4
Robert Shelton's fourth-inning sacrifice fly to score Chad Mead broke a 2-2 tie as Ole Miss scored five runs in the inning en route to a 6-4 win over SEMO. Rebel starter Dan McShea struck out a career-high seven in five innings of work, yielding two earned runs on seven hits and two walks to earn his first win of the year. Justin Huisman notched his second save of the season by recording the final two outs of the ninth inning with two runners on base.
Wednesday- SE Missouri State 1, Ole Miss 0
Ole Miss wasted a strong pitching performance from senior left-hander Chad Mead as SE Missouri State scratched out a run in the seventh inning for a 1-0 win Wednesday afternoon in Oxford. It was the Indians first win over the Rebels in six tries.
Friday- Ole Miss 4, South Alabama 1
Jude Voltz hit a three-run home run in the third inning and right-hander Jeff McAvoy tied a career-high with eight strike outs as Ole Miss took the first game of a three-game set with South Alabama, 4-1. Brad Henderson opened the third inning with a single to left and Chad Hill followed with a walk to set the table for Voltz. Willie Hernandez accounted for the Jaguars' lone run with a solo shot in the fifth. Craig Nugen made it 4-1 with a RBI single to score Michael Rosamond in the seventh. McAvoy pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing the one run on five hits and no walks to move to 3-1 on the season. Justin Huisman got Brett Jackson to strike out with a runners on first and second to end the game and earn his third save of the year.
Saturday- Ole Miss 11, South Alabama 2
Sophomore SS Justin Huisman connected for two home runs as the Ole Miss hit six in the game in a 11-2 win. USA's Nick Gretz put the Jaguars on the board first with a two-run shot in the fourth. The Rebels got solo shots from Huisman and sophomore C Carl Lafferty in the fifth to tie it, and sophomore 3B Robert Shelton's two-run blast in the sixth gave Ole Miss a 4-2 lead. The Rebels broke the game open with a five runs in the seventh with a two-run homer from junior 1B Jude Voltz and a three-run shot from Huisman. Junior RHP Joey Cramblitt (2-0) pitched six innings, allowing two runs on five hits and one walk, while striking out four to earn the win. Junior RHP Dan McShea worked three innings of effective relief to record his first save of the season.
Sunday- South Alabama 8, Ole Miss 7
Ole Miss jumped out to a 4-0 first-inning lead, but South Alabama battled back to take an 8-7 decision and salvage the final game of a three-game series. Seth Taylor went 3-for-5 with 3 RBIs for the Jaguards and Matt Silvey hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score the game-winning run in the ninth inning. The Rebel sent nine batters to the plate in the first inning and Robert Shelton's two-run double highlighted the four-run first. South Alabama responded with four runs in the top of the second to tie the game at 4-4. Each team then scored one run apiece in the third inning, setting up the dramatic finish. The game went into the top of the seventh tied at 5-5 when South Alabama scored a run to break the tie. After Ole Miss was unable to respond in the bottom of the seventh, South Alabama increased its advantage to 7-5 in the eighth inning when Tim Merritt singled and later scored on Taylor's single. The Rebels cut the lead to 7-6 in the bottom of the eighth inning, but was unable to push across the game-tying run. Ronnie Goodwin (0-2) suffered the loss for Ole Miss, allowing one run on one hit in 1 1/3 innings.
1999 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Feb. 12 at Baylor W, 15-6Feb. 13 at Baylor L, 3-7Feb. 14 at Baylor L, 10-15FEB. 16 AUSTIN PEAY ST. W, 8-5Winn-Dixie Showdown, New Orleans, La.Feb. 19 vs. Tulane L, 6-8Feb. 20 vs. New Orleans W, 12-2Feb. 21 vs. LSU L, 1-5FEB. 23 SE MISSOURI ST. W, 6-4FEB. 24 SE MISSOURI ST. L, 0-1FEB. 26 SOUTH ALABAMA W, 4-1FEB. 27 SOUTH ALABAMA W, 11-2FEB. 28 SOUTH ALABAMA L, 7-8Mar. 2 at UAB 2:05 p.m.Mar. 6 at Delta State 3:00 p.m.Mar. 9 at Arkansas State 7:00 p.m.Mar. 12 at South Carolina* 6:00 p.m.Mar. 13 at South Carolina* 3:00 p.m.Mar. 14 at South Carolina* 12:00 p.m.Mar. 16 at NE Louisiana 6:30 p.m.MAR. 17 MOREHEAD ST. 3:00 P.M.MAR. 19 KENTUCKY* 7:00 P.M.MAR. 20 KENTUCKY* 4:00 P.M.MAR. 21 KENTUCKY* 1:30 P.M.MAR. 23 SOUTHERN MISS (J) 6:30 P.M.Mar. 26 at LSU* 7:00 p.m.Mar. 27 at LSU* 4:00 p.m.Mar. 28 at LSU* 1:00 p.m.MAR. 31 MISSISSIPPI ST. (J)! 6:30 P.M.Apr. 2 at Vanderbilt* 7:00 p.m.Apr. 3 at Vanderbilt* 2:00 p.m.Apr. 4 at Vanderbilt* 1:00 p.m.Apr. 6 at Southern Miss 6:30 p.m.APR. 7 MEMPHIS 7:00 P.M.APR. 9 FLORIDA* 7:00 P.M.APR. 10 FLORIDA* 4:00 P.M.APR. 11 FLORIDA* 1:30 P.M.APR. 13 SOUTHERN MISS 6:30 P.M.APR. 16 GEORGIA* 7:00 P.M.APR. 17 GEORGIA* 4:00 P.M.APR. 18 GEORGIA* 1:30 P.M.APR. 20 ARKANSAS ST. 7:00 P.M.Apr. 21 at Memphis 7:00 p.m.Apr. 23 at Auburn* 6:30 p.m.Apr. 24 at Auburn* 2:00 p.m.Apr. 25 at Auburn* 1:30 p.m.APR. 27 NE LOUISIANA 6:30 P.M.Apr. 28 at Austin Peay 6:30 p.m.APR. 30 ALABAMA* 7:00 P.M.MAY 1 ALABAMA* 4:00 P.M.MAY 2 ALABAMA* 1:30 P.M.May 7 at Arkansas* 6:30 p.m.May 8 at Arkansas* 2:00 p.m.May 9 at Arkansas* 1:00 p.m.MAY 14 MISSISSIPPI ST.* 7:00 P.M.MAY 15 MISSISSIPPI ST.* 4:00 P.M.MAY 16 MISSISSIPPI ST.* 1:30 P.M.May 19-23 SEC Tournament TBAMay 26-30 NCAA Regionals TBA* - SEC Game J - Jackson ! - Mayor's Trophy GameHOME GAMES IN CAPSAll Times CentralSchedule is subject to change
