The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Look to Even Series with South Carolina
6/21/1999 | Baseball
March 13, 1999
GAME #17 - OLE MISS (6-10, 0-1) AT NO. 23 SOUTH CAROLINA (14-4, 1-0)
SARGE FRYE FIELD; COLUMBIA, S.C.
saturday, march 13, 3:00 pm CST
REBELS LOOK TO EVEN SERIES WITH SOUTH CAROLINA
Ole Miss will look to even its three-game series with South Carolina when the two teams meet in game two of this weekends series today at 3:00 p.m. CST. All games this weekend can be heard on Oxfords WQLJ 93.7 FM and on stations along the Mississippi Network. Games can also be heard over the internet at www.wqlj.com. The Rebels and Gamecocks will conclude their series tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. CST.
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA
Last night's 5-3 win improved South Carolina to 14-4 in the year 1-0 in the SEC. The Gamecocks are ranked No. 23 in the latest Collegiate Baseball poll and No. 25 in this week's Baseball Weekly/ABCA poll. USC comes into today's game having won 10 of its last 12. Junior OF Nate Janowicz is the Gamecocks' top hitter, batting .450 (27-for-60) with a team-leading five HRs and 21 RBIs, after going 1-for-2 last night. Senior OF Tim Aniolini is hitting .393 (22-for-56) with two HRs and leads USC with 25 RBIs, and was 1-for-3 last night.
SERIES HISTORY
Last night's win by South Carolina marked the Gamecocks' 10th straight win over Ole Miss. Ole Miss' last win in the series was 20-3 in the final game of a three-game series in 1995 in Columbia. The two teams first met on the baseball diamond in 1994 after South Carolina entered the SEC in 1992. USC leads the series 11-5.
TODAY'S STARTING PITCHERS
Junior RHP Joey Cramblitt is scheduled to make his his fourth start of the year for Ole Miss. Cramblitt is 2-0 with a 3.63 ERA in 17 1/3 innings of work. Cramblitt's last start came on Feb. 27 against South Alabama in Oxford, allowing two runs on five hits and one walk, while striking out four in earning the win. South Carolina is slated to start junior RHP Randy Hadden. Hadden is 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA in 25 1/3 innings, having allowed 11 runs, four earned, on 29 hits and six walks, and has fanned 14. This will be Hadden's fourth start and sixth appearance of the year.
ROAD BLUES
Ole Miss is 0-4 on its current season-long, seven-game road trip. The Rebels have lost 20-15 to UAB on March 2, 13-4 to Delta State last Saturday, 6-4 to Arkansas State this past Tuesday, and 5-3 to South Carolina last night. The Rebels come into today's game 2-8 away from Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field this season. Following this weekend's series with South Carolina, Ole Miss will wrap-up its road swing with a 7:00 p.m. contest Tuesday at NE Louisiana in Monroe, La. The Rebels will then return home for a Wednesday, game with Morehead State at 3:00 p.m.
NOT SO DEAD BATS
Don't tell the Ole Miss Rebels that the new bats being used in college baseball this season are suppose to cut down on the number of home runs. Through the first 16 games of 1999, the Rebels are three home runs ahead of last year's pace in which they set a school with 98 home runs 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 25 HRs in 16 games this season. Sophomores Robert Shelton and Justin 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.
ONE MORE LONG BALL NOTE
The Rebels have hit four or more long balls in a game three times this season in their first 15 games, including six in a game twice. Ole Miss had nine games with four or home runs last year in 53 contests last season. The Rebels hit six home runs this season in a 11-2 win over South Alabama on Feb. 27 and in a 20-15 loss at UAB on March 2.
MORRIS MAKING AN IMPACT
Freshman Glen Morris has provided Ole Miss with a steady lead-off man since being inserted into the order four games ago against UAB on March 2. In those four games, Morris has gone 8-for-17 with a home run and six RBIs, and has an on-base average of .500. In his first collegiate start, he went 3-for-5 with a HR and five RBIs against the Blazers. For the season, Morris is 9-for-18 (.500) at the plate, with four of his nine hits going for extra bases two doubles, a triple and a home run.
IN A PINCH
Senior Alex Williamson made a name for himself last season as the Rebels' top pinch-hitter and has continued to thrive in that role this season. Williamson led the Rebels in pinch-hitting last season going, 7-for-17 (.412) and is 3-for-5 this season to put him 10-for-22 on his career for a .455 average as a pinch-hitter. Morris also has the team's longest current hitting streak at four games as he has recorded at least one hit in the past three games and picking up a hit against LSU on Feb. 21 at the Winn-Dixie Showdown in New Orleans.
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.
- The Rebels' current five-game losing streak is their longest since 1995 when Ole Miss dropped six straight.
- Despite getting the loss, junior RHP Jeff McAvoy struck out a career-high 10 in 6 2/3 innings last night. His previous high was eight set last Feb. 28 against Memphis and this past Feb. 26 against South Alabama.
- Freshman DH Glen Morris currently is riding a team-high five-game hitting streak.
- Senior 2B Brad Henderson went 2-for-4 last night to raise his career average against the Gamecocks to .424 (14-for-33) in nine career games against USC. Henderson went 5-for-12 last year versus USC in three games in Oxford with a HR and four RBIs.
- Henderson's two-hit performance last night was his eighth multiple-hit game of the season a team-high. Henderson has recorded four three-hit games, and four two-hit games this season.
- Henderson's first-inning double last night moved him pass Kyle Gordon (1984-87) for sole possession of fifth-place on the Ole Miss career-hit list. After going 2-for-4 last night, Henderson now has 220 career hits. Gordon had 218 career hits. Next on the list for Henderson is Kary Bridges (1991-93) who had 233 career hits in 166 games.
- Huisman is 3-for-3 in save conversions this season. His three saves matches his total from last season when he led the Rebels in saves. Huisman has also stranded all five of his inherited base runners this season.
- Five players have started all 16 games in the same position this season: Henderson at second, Hill in center, Huisman at short, junior Michael Rosamond in right, and Voltz at first. Mead has also started all 16 games this season, making 13 starts in left field and three on the mound.
- Last night's 5-3 loss dropped Ole Miss to 3-5 in games decided by two runs or less this season, including 0-2 in one-run contests.
- Dating back to last season, the Rebels have lost nine SEC games by two or less, including four to South Carolina. Since 1998, Ole Miss is 5-9 in SEC games decided by two runs or less.
- The fourth inning has been the Rebels big inning, so far this season, having outscored their opponents 27-14. Conversely, the Rebels worse inning has been the sixth, being outscored 21-8.
ELEVEN TEAMS FROM THE 1998 NCAA TOURNAMENT HIGHLIGHT REBELS' 1999 SLATE
This weekend's three-game series at South Carolina will mark 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 4-7 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).
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- Arkansas State 6, Ole Miss 4
Matt Hale allowed three runs on seven hits while striking out five in 6 2/3 innings as Arkansas State downed Ole Miss 6-4. The Rebels dropped to 6-9 on the season. Hale improved to 1-1 on the season. Clint Helpenstill came on to pitch 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run on one hit while striking out four to earn his second save. Cooper Campbell suffered the loss for the Rebels and dropped to 0-1 on the year. Campbell pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits and walking three. Nathan Lyons came on in relief and pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits and two walks while striking out a career-high six batters. Ole Miss allowed three runs in the first inning off one hit and four walks. Arkansas State took a 4-0 lead in the third on Ryan Corrigan's RBI single. The Rebels got on the board in the top of the sixth when Brad Henderson hit a one-out triple and scored on Robert Shelton's sacrifice fly to left field. Arkansas State added two runs in the bottom of the sixth on two Ole Miss errors. The Rebels pulled closer in the seventh on an RBI double by Chad Hill and an RBI triple by Glen Morris. In the top of the ninth, Jude Voltz hit a leadoff home run, and Clint Farrar reached base on an error by the Indians. Farrar was left at second to end the game.
Friday - South Carolina 5, Ole Miss 3
Junior RHP Jeff McAvoy struck out a career-high 10, but was touched for two, two-run home runs as South Carolina went on to a 5-3 win in the SEC opener for both teams. McAvoy worked 6 2/3 innings, allowing five earned runs on six hits and three walks to suffer the loss and fall to 3-3. Gamecock starter Kip Bouknight pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks, and struck out 12 to earn the win. Scott Barber worked 1 2/3 innings, allowing a hit and striking out four to earn the save. Adam Poe's two-run HR put South Carolina up 2-0 in the third. Chad Hill's, two-out RBI triple to score Carl Lafferty cut the lead to 2-1, but the Gamecocks would break the game open with three runs in the seventh, highlighted by Mic Knox's two-run blast. Ole Miss would try to rally in the eighth as Chad Mead hit a RBI single to score Glen Morris and Jude Voltz would later score from third on a wild pitch for the final 5-3 margin.
POSITION PLAYER THUMBNAILS
1- Brandon Skelton (Fr., C): Has appeared in one game ... saw his first career action on Feb. 20 vs. New Orleans ... went 0-for-1.
Friday: DNP
2- Kris Cox (Fr., OF): Played in five games ... is 2-for-4 with a RBI and two 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 last Saturday.
Friday: DNP
4- Ryan Davis (Soph., INF): Has appeared in nine games ... is 1-for-3 with a RBI ... recorded his first career hit with a ninth-inning RBI single last Saturday at Delta State.
Friday: DNP
5- Banks Robinson (Fr., INF): Played in five games, making one start at DH ... is 2-for-4 with a run scored ... singled in his first career at-bat against Baylor on Feb. 12.
Friday: DNP
6- Jude Voltz (Jr., 1B): A starter in all 16 at first base ... is batting .310 (18-for-58) with three HRs and nine RBIs ... also has three doubles, a triple and has scored 12 runs ... homered in back-to-back games against South Alabama on Feb. 26 and 27 ... had a six-game hitting streak (Feb. 23-March 2) snapped last Saturday at Delta State ... hit his third HR of the year Tuesday with a solo shot to lead-off the ninth ... is fielding at a .993-clip, committing just one error in 135 chances ... named to the Winn-Dixie Showdown All-Tournament team after going 7-for-12 in three games.
Friday: 0-for-3
7- Burney Hutchinson (Fr., OF): Has played in 11 games, making three starts ... is 1-for-10 with two RBIs and a run scored ... tallied his first career hit last Saturday against Delta State with a RBI single in the ninth.
Friday: 0-for-1
8- Clint Farrar (Fr., INF): Has played in six games, making one start ... is 2-for-10 at the plate this season with a double and two runs scored ... made his first career start against SEMO on Feb. 23, going 1-for-4 with a run scored while serving as the DH.
Friday: DNP
9- Adam Brown (Fr., INF): Has played in six games ... is 1-for-2 with a HR, a RBI and three runs scored ... homered in his first collegiate at-bat on Feb. 20 versus New Orleans at the Winn-Dixie Showdown.
Friday: DNP
10- Chad Hill (Jr., OF): Started in center all 16 games ... batted the first seven games in the lead-off spot ... is hitting .283 (17-for-60) with five RBIs ... also has two doubles, two triples, and 11 runs scored ... is 2-for-3 in stolen bases ... is hitting .417 with runners on base (10-for-24) ... had a season-long four-game (Feb. 24-28) hitting streak snapped at UAB on March 2.
Friday: 1-for-3, 3B, RBI
12- Glen Morris (Fr., INF): Has played in five games, making four starts ... has started as the DH in the last four games, going 8-for-17 with a HR and six RBIs ... is 9-for-18 (.500) on the year with a HR and six RBIs ... four of his nine hits have gone for extra bases with two doubles, a triple and a HR ... has scored two runs ... hit his first career HR on March 2 at UAB in his first career start ... went 3-for-5 with a HR and five RBIs vs. UAB ... was 3-for-4 against Delta State last Saturday ... currently riding a team-high five-game hitting streak.
Friday: 1-for-4
13- Alex Williamson (Sr., OF): Has played in nine games, making two starts as the DH ... is 5-for-13 (.395) with two RBIs and two runs scored ... is 3-for-5 as a pinch-hitter this season, making him 10-for-22 (.455) in his career at Ole Miss ... had a season-long four-game (Feb. 21-28) hitting streak snapped last Saturday at Delta State.
Friday: 0-for-1
14- Craig Nugen (Jr., OF): Appeared in six games, making two starts ... is 4-for-11 (.364) with a HR, four RBIs and one run scored ... hit his first collegiate HR on Feb. 20 versus New Orleans at the Winn-Dixie Showdown, while making his first collegiate start.
Friday: DNP
15- Carl Lafferty (Soph., C): Played in 10 games, making seven starts at catcher ... is hitting .200 (5-for-25) with a HR and a RBI ... also has one double and has scored four runs ... hit his first home run of the season against South Alabama on Feb. 27 ... currently on a season-long four-game hitting streak.
Friday: 1-for-3
16- Brad Henderson (Jr., 2B): An All-SEC and All-American candidate ... collected two hits last night, giving 220 on his career to move him past Kyle Gordon (1984-87) for fifth-place on the Ole Miss career hit chart ... is one run away from tying Jason Huisman (1995-98) for third-place on the school's career list with 150 ... ranks sixth on the school's list for doubles with 44 ... also ranks fourth on the school's career list for home runs with 30, seventh in career at-bats with 608, and is ninth in career RBI with 118 ... a starter at second base in all 16 games ... leads the Ole Miss regular with a .354 average (23-for-65) with one HRs and six RBIs ... leads the team in doubles with eight ... also has two triples and has scored 11 runs ... leads the team in multiple-hit games with eight, recording four three-hit games and four two-hit games ... also leads the team with a .408 on-base average ... has batted 10 games in the No. 2 position in the order, five in the lead-off position and one in No. 3 hole ... hit first HR of the season last Tuesday at UAB ... named to the Winn-Dixie Showdown All-Tournament team ... tied an Ole Miss single-game record with nine assists against South Alabama on Feb. 27.
Friday: 2-for-4, 2B
17- J.T. Harrison (Sr., INF): Has played in eight games, making three starts at third base ... is 1-for-13 at the plate with a HR, two RBI and two runs scored.
Friday: DNP
18- Michael Rosamond (Jr., OF): An All-SEC and candidate ... started all 16 games in right field ... is hitting .317 (19-for-60) with two HRs and nine RBIs ... leads the team in runs scored (14) and triples (3) ... also has five doubles ... has five multiple-hit games this season ... is hitting .389 (7-for-18) with runners in scoring position ... garnered All-Tournament accolades at the Winn-Dixie Showdown ... set an Ole Miss school single-game record and tied the SEC and NCAA single-game marks with three triples against UNO on Feb. 20.
Friday: 0-for-3
22-Robert Shelton (Soph., 3B): Appeared in all 16 games, making 13 starts at third base ... is hitting .283 (13-for-46) with five HRs and 13 RBIs ... five HRs is tied with Justin Huisman for the team lead ... also has four doubles and nine runs scored ... has a team best .696 slugging percentage ... recorded his second career grand slam in the eighth inning on Feb. 13 at Baylor ... tallied his first career multiple home run game versus UAB on March 2.
Friday: 0-for-4
30- Justin Huisman (Soph., INF): Started all 16 games at shortstop ... is hitting .344 (21-for-61) with five HRs and a team-high 14 RBIs ... is tied with Robert Shelton for the team-lead in HRs with five ... has two doubles and 10 runs scored ... has a slugging percentage of .623 and a .403 on-base percentage ... has seven multiple-hit games ... recorded five straight hits over the course of two games against South Alabama, Feb. 27-28 ... recorded a career-high four hits against South Alabama on Feb. 27 and against UAB on March 2 ... drove in a career-high five runs against the Jaguars on Feb. 27 in an 11-2 win ... recorded his first career multiple home run games, hitting two each versus South Alabama (Feb. 27) and UAB (March 2).
Friday: 0-for-3
33- John Massey (Soph., C): Has played in 14 games, starting 13 ... has started nine games behind the plate and four as the DH ... second among the Ole Miss regulars in hitting with a .353 average (18-for-51) with three HRs and 11 RBIs ... has three doubles and has scored 10 runs ... has five multiple-hit games this season ... tied an Ole Miss school record with three HRs at Baylor in the season-opener on Feb. 12, going 4-for-5 with six RBIs and scoring three runs ... set a career-high with four hits on March 2 at UAB, going 4-for-5 and also scored a career-best four runs.
Friday: DNP
44- Chad Mead (Sr., OF): Has played in and started all 16 games this season ... has made 13 starts in left field and three on the mound ... is hitting .276 (16-for-58) with a HR and nine RBIs ... is hitting a team-best .381 (8-for-21) with runners in scoring position ... opened the season with a career-long eight-game hitting streak.
Friday: 1-for-2, RBI
