Baseball Game Notes

March 27, 2002

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GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Date: Friday, March 29, 2002
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Site: Cliff Hagan Stadium (3,000)

RECORDS

TEAM	W	L	T	PCT.	SEC	NON-CONF.	HOME	AWAY*	STRK
Ole Miss	18	7	0	.720	2-4	16-3	16-3	2-4	W3
Kentucky	11	12	0	.478	2-4	9-8	6-5	5-7	L1

* - includes neutral site games.

TONIGHT'S PROBABLE PITCHING MATCH-UP

TEAM	No.	Name	Yr.	L/R	IP	W	L	SV	ERA	BB	SO	VS. OPPONENT
UM	21	J.R. Pickens	Jr.	R	46.0	4	1	0	2.54	12	46	First meeting
UK	22	Joseph Blanton	Jr.	R	45.1	3	2	0	1.99	10	64	0-1, 5.56 ERA (2 Apps)

UPCOMING PROBABLE PITCHING MATCH-UPS (RADIO/TV)
Tomorrow at Kentucky: Pete Montrenes (Sr., R, 5-2, 4.74) vs. Scott Wade (Jr., R, 3-4, 6.53) - Ole Miss Radio Network, 1 pm
Sunday at Kentucky: Alan Horne (Fr., R, 0-1, 8.38) vs. Cory Hahn (So., R, - Ole Miss Radio Network, 12:30 pm

REBELS VS. BLANTON: Christian 3x4 (.750), HR, Hutchinson 1x4 (.250), HR, Farrar 2x6 (.333), Morris 1x4 (.250), HR, Robinson 1x5 (.200), Mossberg 0x1 (.000), Tolbert 0x4 (.000)

REBEL GAME NOTES
AT A GLANCE: No. 15 Ole Miss (18-7) will return to Southeastern Conference play tonight when the Rebels open a three-game series at the Kentucky Wildcats (11-12). Game time is 5 p.m. (CST) at Cliff Hagan Stadium in Lexington, Ky. ... Tonight's game is the first of four straight away from home. After this weekend's series, the Rebels will play Mississippi State in the annual's Mayor's Trophy game at Jackson, Miss. Ole Miss will return home Friday, April 5 against Vanderbilt at 7 p.m., at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field ... Junior right-hander J.R. Pickens (4-1, 2.54 ERA) will get the start for Ole Miss. Pickens is coming off a 9-3 win over LSU last Friday in Oxford, in which he recorded his first career complete game ... The Rebels enter tonight's game winners of three straight after winning their midweek games against Austin Peay (3-1) and Mississippi Valley State (7-4) ... Kentucky has been off since hosting Mississippi State last weekend, in a series in which the Wildcats lost 2-of-3 ... Overall, Kentucky has lost four of its last five - all SEC games - after posting a 3-1 road-win over Auburn in the conference opener on March 15 ... The Wildcats are expected to start junior right-hander Joseph Blanton (3-2, 1.99 ERA) in tonight's game.

LAST TIME OUT: Freshman OF Seth Smith went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored to lead No. 15 Ole Miss to a 7-4 win over Mississippi Valley State Tuesday evening. Smith drove in the Rebels' first run with an RBI single in the first inning and later made it 5-0 with a RBI ground out to second in the fourth. Junior right-hander Kyle Bateman (1-0) made his first career start, pitching three scoreless innings and was credited with his first career win.

MAYOR'S TROPHY TICKETS ON SALE: Tickets for Wednesday's Mayor's Trophy game versus Mississippi State in Jackson are currently on sale through phone orders only at the Smith-Wills Stadium Ticket Office. The number to call is (601) 362-2294. Prices are $10 for reserved seats and $6 for general admission. Only Visa and Mastercard is accepted.

IN THE POLLS: Ole Miss moved up one spot in this week's Collegiate Baseball Top 30 to No. 15, fell one spot to No. 18 in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches Top 25, leaped five places to No. 19 in the Baseball America Top 25, and re-entered the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll at No. 17, after falling out of last week's poll.

SCOUTING KENTUCKY: The Wildcats are hitting .241 as a team with 20 home runs. Kentucky has just two players with 25 or more at bats to have at least a .300 average, led by sophomore outfielder Caleb Stewart's .333 (29x87) average. Senior Caleb Brock is hitting an even .300 (9x30). Junior outfielder Seth Morris is batting .284 and leads UK in home runs with seven, and is tied for the team lead in RBIs at 13, along with senior first baseman Robert Newton. The Wildcats have been outscored 138-115 this season. Kentucky pitchers have a team ERA of 5.08, and opponents are hitting .287 against them with 15 home runs. The Wildcats have committed 42 errors in 23 games, and have a team fielding percentage of .952.

REBELS VS. WILDCATS: Tonight's meeting is the 43rd all-time between Ole Miss and Kentucky ... The Rebels lead the all-time series 24-18, dating back to 1925 ... The Wildcats have won the last two series between the two teams in 2000 (2-1, Lexington) and 2001 (2-1, Oxford) ... Ole Miss' last series win was a three-game sweep in Oxford in 1999 ... The Rebels' last series win in Lexington was 1998, 2-1 ... Since 1996, the two teams have split the 18 meetings in that span ... Ole Miss is 15-6 all-time against Kentucky in Oxford and 9-12 in Lexington.

AFTER 25 GAMES LAST SEASON: The Rebels were 18-6-1 after 25 games last season ... Ole Miss was hitting .298 (251x843) with 50 doubles, 11 triples, 23 home runs and 148 RBIs ... The Rebels stole 17 bases in 27 attempts and grounded into 19 double plays ... They were outscoring their opponents 171-105 ... Rebel pitchers had a 3.22 ERA (221.0 IP, 79 ER), allowing 201 hits, including 13 home runs, walked 83 and had struck out 174 ... Ole Miss had committed 35 errors in 25 games.

REBEL MISCELLANEOUS: At 2-4 in the SEC, Ole Miss is off to its slowest six-game start in the conference since 1997, when the Rebels were also 2-4 ... Ole Miss has committed nine errors in its last three games, and at least one error in 18 consecutive games.

TONIGHT'S STARTING PITCHER
#21 J.R. Pickens (6-1, 210, Jr., RHP)
* Is making his eighth appearance and seventh start of the season ... Is 4-1 with a 2.54 ERA (46.0 IP, 13 ER) and has struck out 46 while walking 12.
* Won his first three decisions of the year against Jacksonville State (2/16), Eastern Illinois (3/2) and Indiana State (3/9).
* Turned in a quality start (at least 6 IP, 4 ER or less) in all six starts this season.
* Made his Ole Miss debut in a start against Jacksonville State on Feb. 16, allowing three runs, one earned, on three hits and three walks over seven innings to earn the decision in an 8-4 win ... Also fanned eight against the Gamecocks.
* Struck out a season-high 10 in a start against Eastern Illinois (8.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB).
* Made his first career relief appearance at Louisiana-Monroe (3/13), working a perfect ninth inning.
* Recorded first career complete game in his start last Friday against LSU, earning a 9-3 win (8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 SO).

Junior College Highlights
* Recorded a 20-6 career record at Blinn Junior College.
* Was first team All-Conference selection in 2001, posting an 11-2 mark with one save and a 3.86 ERA.
* Fanned 110 in 106 innings pitched.

LAST START: Recorded Ole Miss' first complete game of the season last Friday against LSU ... Allowed three runs, two earned, on three walks and eight hits, and struck out eight in a 9-3 win ... Threw 128 pitches, 86 for strikes ... Matt Heath scored in the second on a throwing error by catcher Charlie Waite after stealing third ... Didn't allow a runner past second from the fourth inning until the eighth ... J.C. Holt hit a two-run triple in the ninth to make it 9-3.

PICKENS VERSUS KENTUCKY: Tonight will mark Pickens' first career appearance against Kentucky.

PICKENS VERSUS THE SEC: Is 1-1 with a 3.45 ERA (15.2 IP, 6 ER) in two SEC starts this season.

PICKENS VERSUS THE SEC EASTERN DIVSION: Is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA (6.2 IP, 4 ER) in one start versus the SEC Eastern Division, that coming on March 16 at Florida.

PICKENS MISCELLANEOUS:
* Opponents are hitting .195 (34x174) against him with no home runs ... Lefties are hitting .150 (9x60) against him, and right-handers are batting .219 (25x114).
* Is 3-1 with a 2.75 ERA (36.0 IP, 11 ER) in four day time starts.
* Is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA (10.0 IP, 2 ER) in two appearances, including one start, at night.
* Is 4-0 with a 2.11 ERA (38.1 IP, 9 ER) in five starts at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.
* Is 0-1 with a 4.69 ERA (7.2 IP, 4 ER) in two appearances, including one start, on the road.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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