The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Kentucky
Ole Miss Sweeps Kentucky With 7-5 Win On Sunday
3/16/2003 | Baseball
March 16, 2003
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OXFORD, Miss. - Freshman Stephen Head's two-run single in the eighth inning put Ole Miss up 6-5 as the Rebels defeated Kentucky 7-5 Sunday afternoon at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field to sweep the weekend's three-game Southeastern Conference series.
The win was the fourth straight by Ole Miss (13-6, 3-0 SEC) and gave the Rebels their first 3-0 SEC start since 1972. The loss was Kentucky's fifth consecutive.
Chad Sterbens opened the eighth with a lead-off single to right center and Seth Smith followed with a walk to chase Kentucky (7-11, 0-3 SEC) starter Seth Stanley. Brian Pettway then followed with a sac bunt to move the runners to second and third for Head, who lined Kalen Gibson's 0-1 pitch to left to score both Sterbens and Smith.
Head would later score on Bryce Morrison's sac fly to center to make it 7-5.
Redshirt freshman right-hander Anthony Cupps (2-0) earned the win, allowing one unearned run on five hits and one strikeout in four innings of relief.
Jeremy Zick worked a scoreless ninth to earn his second save of the year.
Starter Eric Fowler, a redshirt freshman left-hander, worked four-plus innings, allowing four runs on eight hits and struck out two.
"We pitched well again today," said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. "You have to give Kentucky credit, they're very competitive and combative offensively. I don't think there was anything Eric did wrong. I'm very proud of him and he gave us a chance to win."
Stanley (1-2) was charged with the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks in seven-plus innings. He also struck out two.
Casey Gilvin went 4-for-5 with an RBI and Spencer Graeter and Brad Pickrell recorded three hits each as Kentucky out-hit Ole Miss 14-9 on the afternoon.
Smith went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and Charlie Waite was 2-for-4 to lead Ole Miss.
Ole Miss scored four runs in the third, capped by Brian Pettway's two-run home run, to take a 4-1 lead.
Kentucky responded with two runs in the fourth and tied the game in the fifth on Stewart's RBI single.
The Wildcats took a 5-4 lead in the seventh when Gilvin scored from third on a double-play grounder off the bat of Stewart.
The Rebels will next be in action Friday night when Ole Miss opens a three-game SEC series at Vanderbilt. Game time is 7 p.m., at Charles Hawkins Field in Nashville.
Ole Miss 7, Kentucky 5 (Mar 16, 2003 at Oxford, Miss.)----------------------------------------------------------------------Kentucky............100 210 100 - 5 14 0 (7-11, 0-3 SEC)Ole Miss............004 000 03X - 7 9 1 (13-6, 3-0 SEC)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: Kentucky - S. Stanley; K. Gibson(8). Ole Miss - Eric Fowler; A. Cupps(5);Jeremy Zick(9).Win-A. Cupps(2-0) Save-Jeremy Zick(2) Loss-S. Stanley(1-2) T-2:31 A-2392HR UM - B. Pettway (2).Game notes:HR DISTANCES: Pettway (UM) 413'-3rdSterbens (UM) 9th player in school history to record 200 career hits.GWRBI: Head (UM) w/2-run single in the 8th inning.Ole Miss first 3-0 SEC start since 1972.Eric Fowler faced 1 batter in the 5th.S. Stanley faced 2 batters in the 8th.Game: UM0316
