The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
South Carolina
Head Shuts Down South Carolina
4/27/2003 | Baseball
April 27, 2003
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OXFORD, Miss. - Freshman left-hander Stephen Head used just 86 pitches in firing a complete-game two-hit shutout of South Carolina in Ole Miss' 2-0 win Sunday afternoon, in front of 2,559 at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.
With the win, the Rebels improved to 27-18 on the season and 12-9 in the Southeastern Conference and earned their first SEC series win over the Gamecocks since 1995. South Carolina dropped to 28-17 and 10-11 in the SEC.
Head (3-1), who also worked two innings of relief to earn the save in Friday's 6-5 victory, struck out eight and walked one. He did not allow a hit after a two-out single by Kevin Melillo in the fifth inning, and Melillo, who would steal second following the single, was the only Gamecock baserunner to reach as far as second.
The complete-game shutout was the first by an Ole Miss pitcher since Adam Yates tossed a one-hit shutout in a seven-inning game against Southeastern Louisiana on Feb. 14, 2001.
Jonathan Swearingen gave Ole Miss a 1-0 lead in the sixth with a two-out solo home run down the left field line off South Carolina starter Chris Hernanddez.
The Rebels added another run in the eighth on a bases loaded infield single by Chad Sterbens to score Shawn Yarbrough.
Hernandez (2-4) worked all eight innings in suffering the loss. He allowed two runs on five hits and three walks, and also struck out four.
Sterbens was the only player to record multiple hits, going 2x4.
Ole Miss will host Tennessee Tech Monday evening at 6:30 p.m., in a make-up game for the February 15 contest with Louisiana Tech that was canceled due to inclement weather. Fans can use their tickets from that February 15 game for admission into Monday's contest.
The Rebels will then travel to Jonesboro, Ark., Tuesday night for a 6:30 p.m., contest at Arkansas State before opening a three-game SEC series next Friday night at Arkansas.
Ole Miss 2, South Carolina 0 (Apr 27, 2003 at Oxford, Miss.)----------------------------------------------------------------------South Carolina 000 000 000 - 0 2 1 (28-17, 10-11 SEC)Ole Miss 000 001 01X - 2 5 0 (27-18, 12-9 SEC)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: South Carolina - Hernandez, C. Ole Miss - Stephen Head.Win-Stephen Head(3-1) Loss-Hernandez, C(2-4) T-1:49 A-2559HR UM - Swearingen (5).Game notes:NATIONAL RANKINGS: USC- #32 NCBWAHR DISTANCES: UM- Swearingen 336'-6thUM first series win versus USC since 1995 ... Head records first CG shutoutby an Ole Miss pitcher since Adam Yates vs. SE La. 2/14/2001 (7 innings)Game: UM0427
