The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Alabama
Head Leads Ole Miss Past No. 21 Alabama
4/20/2003 | Baseball
April 20, 2003
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OXFORD, Miss. - Freshman left-hander Stephen Head worked seven innings in his first career start and also went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead Ole Miss to an 8-3 win over No. 21 Alabama in the rubber-match of this weekend's three-game Southeastern Conference series Sunday afternoon, in front of 1,993 at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.
With the win, the Rebels (24-16, 10-8 SEC) have now won three straight series against the Crimson Tide (27-13, 9-9 SEC) and four of the last five.
Head, who entered the game with eight saves in 11 relief appearances, limited Alabama to one run on eight hits and one walk to improve to 2-1 on the year. He also went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI single in the seventh to give Ole Miss a 3-1 lead.
Leading 2-1, Ole Miss broke the game open with a five-run seventh. Seth Smith reached second on an error by shortstop Adam Pavkovich to start the inning and advanced to third on a sac bunt by Brian Pettway. Head followed with an RBI single to score Smith and make it 3-1. Chad Sterbens then singled to move Head to third and chase Alabama starter Seth Johnson.
Sophomore left-hander Taylor Tankersley, Friday night's starter, came on in relief and was greeted by a three-run home run by Charlie Waite, measuring 419 feet, on the first pitch to give the Rebels a 6-1 lead. Tankersley allowed three runs, two earned, on three hits in 2/3 of an inning in Sunday's game after allowing nine runs, two earned, in 2/3 of an inning on Friday.
Johnson (5-2) allowed five runs, four earned, on eight hits and two walks and struck out four in 6 1/3 innings in suffering the loss.
Waite finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and Smith was 2-for-4 with a home run as Ole Miss out-hit Alabama 12-11 on the afternoon. Smith put the Rebels in front for good with a lead-off home run in the third to break a 1-1 tie.
Pavkovich went 4-for-5 for Alabama and right fielder Beau Hearod was 2-for-4 with a two-run home run n the eighth to provide the 8-3 final. The home run was Hearod's 15th of the season.
Ole Miss will continue its 10-game homestand with a pair of midweek games Tuesday against UT-Martin and Wednesday versus Memphis. Game time for both nights is 6:30 p.m., at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field. The Rebels will open a three-game SEC series with South Carolina next Friday night at Swayze Field at 6:30 p.m.
Ole Miss 8, No. 21 Alabama 3 (Apr 20, 2003 at Oxford, Miss.)----------------------------------------------------------------------Alabama 001 000 020 - 3 11 4 (27-13, 9-9 SEC)Ole Miss 011 000 51x - 8 12 0 (24-16, 10-8 SEC)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: Alabama - Johnson; Tankersley(7); Reed(8). Ole Miss - Stephen Head; M. Holliman(8).Win-Stephen Head(2-1) Loss-Johnson(5-2) T-2:58 A-1993HR UA - Hearod (15).HR UM - Seth Smith (3); C. Waite (3).Game notes:NATIONAL RANKINGS: UA- #21 SW/ESPN; #30 NCBWAHR DISTANCES: UA- Hearod 396'-8th; UM- Smith 387'-3rd; Waite 419'-7th.UA: Head coach Jim Wells ejected in 8th; 2-4 in SEC rubber games in 2003.UM: 1st errorless game since 3/28; Sterbens 8-game hit streakTankersley faced 1 batter in the 8th.
