The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Arkansas
No. 24 Arkansas Rallies To Down Ole Miss 7-6
5/3/2003 | Baseball
May 3, 2003
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Brady Toops hit a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the ninth to lift Arkansas to a 7-6 comeback win over Ole Miss Saturday afternoon, in front of 3,574 at Baum Stadium at George Cole Field. With the win, the Razorbacks evened this weekend's three-game Southeastern Conference series and prevented the Rebels from securing their first series win over Arkansas since 1995.
The Razorbacks, who trailed 5-1 after six innings, snapped a five-game SEC losing streak with the win and improved to 32-13 overall and 12-11 in the conference. Ole Miss dropped to 29-20 and 13-10 in the SEC.
Trailing 6-4, Nick Pitts started the rally by reaching on a one-out walk from Anthony Cupps. Jeremy Zick then came on in relief for Cupps and allowed a single to Haas Pratt to put runners on first and second. Ryan Fox doubled off the wall in left center on a 3-2 offering from Zick to score pinch-runner Chris Williams pull the Razorbacks to within a run at 6-5.
After pinch-hitter Kirk McConnell was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out, freshman left-hander Eric Fowler was brought in relief for Zick to face right fielder Andrew Wishy. Fowler struck out Wishy for the second out of the inning and was 1-2 on Toops before Toops lifted a breaking ball into the right-center field gap to score both pinch-runner Matt Yost and Fox.
Zick (3-6) was charged with the loss. He faced three batters in the ninth and allowed two runs on two hits and one walk.
Scott Roehl (7-2) earned the win in relief, allowing one run on two hits in an inning of work.
The Rebels out-hit the Razorbacks 15-11 on the afternoon, with senior shortstop Chad Sterbens going 3-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to a season-best 17 games. Charlie Babineaux also went 3-for-3 with an RBI. Charlie Waite was 0-for-3 to halt a career-best 11-game hit streak.
Toops was 2-for-3 with three RBI and Pratt was 2-for-5 to lead the Razorbacks at the plate.
Ole Miss wasted a solid outing by freshman left-hander Brae Wright, who was making his first career SEC start. Wright limited Arkansas to one run on three hits and two walks, while striking out three in six innings of work and left the game with the Rebels leading 5-1.
The two teams will play the rubber-match of this weekend's three-game series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m, at Baum Stadium. Both teams have yet to announce a starting pitcher.
Ole Miss 7, Arkansas 6 (May 3, 2003 at Fayetteville, Ark.)----------------------------------------------------------------------Ole Miss 011 102 001 - 6 16 3 (29-20, 13-10 SEC)Arkansas 000 010 123 - 7 11 2 (32-13, 12-11 SEC)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: Ole Miss - Brae Wright; A. Cupps(7); Jeremy Zick(9); Eric Fowler(9). Arkansas -Sawatski; Merryman(8); Roehl(9).Win-Roehl(7-2) Loss-Jeremy Zick(3-6) T-2:53 A-3574Game notes:Game was delayed 25 minutes due to lightning in the bottom of the 8th.Toops (ARK) 2-run, game-winning double w/2 outs in the 9th.Sterbens (UM) 17-game hit streak.Waite (UM) 11-game hit streak halted.Sawatski faced 1 batter in the 8th.Jeremy Zick faced 3 batters in the 9th.Game: UM0503
