The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Alabama
No. 5 Ole Miss Wins Rubber-Match Against Alabama
3/28/2004 | Baseball
March 28, 2004
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Sophomore left-hander Stephen Head worked 7.1 solid innings and senior right-hander Jeremy Zick retired all four batters he faced to earn the save and lead No. 5 (Collegiate Baseball) Ole Miss to a 4-2 win over Alabama Sunday afternoon, in the rubber-match of this weekend's three-game Southeastern Conference series.
With the win, Ole Miss improves to 20-3 on the year and 5-1 in the SEC, while Alabama falls to 17-9 overall and 2-4 in the SEC.
Ole Miss scored all the runs it would need in the first inning, piecing together three hits and taking advantage of two walks to score three runs. Charlie Babineaux's bunt single with the bases loaded scored Cooper Osteen to put the Rebels up 1-0. Brian Pettway followed with an RBI fielder's choice grounder and Alex Presley capped the inning with an RBI single.
Alabama finally broke through in the sixth when Rocky Scelfo reached on a one-out double and scored a batter later on Evan Bush's two-out single to make it 3-1.
Both the Rebels and Crimson Tide plated a run in the seventh.
Alabama threatened in the eighth as Scelfo singled and Carlos Sosa drew a walk to open the inning. Head struck out Bush for the first out of the inning before being relieved by Zick. Zick escaped the inning when Michael McCallister lined into a double play to second.
He then worked a perfect ninth to record his first save of the year.
Head (3-0) worked 7.1 innings to earn the win. He surrendered two runs on six hits and three walks, while striking out three.
Freshman LHP Brandon Belcher (2-3) was charged with the loss, allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits and two walks, while striking out 11 in 6.1 innings.
Matt Tolbert went 3-for-4 to lead Ole Miss at the plate, as the Rebels out-hit the Crimson Tide 9-6 on the afternoon.
Scelfo was 3-for-4 for Alabama.
Ole Miss will return home Tuesday night to open a two-game midweek series against Southeastern Louisiana. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field. The Rebels return to SEC action next Friday night when they open a three-game series at Mississippi State.
No. 5 Ole Miss 4, Alabama 2 (March 28, 2004 at Tuscaloosa, Ala.)----------------------------------------------------------------------Ole Miss............300 000 100 - 4 9 1 (20-3, 5-1 SEC)Alabama.............000 001 100 - 2 6 2 (17-9, 2-4 SEC)----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: Ole Miss - Stephen Head; Jeremy Zick(8). Alabama - Belcher; Tankersley(7).Win-Stephen Head(3-0) Save-Jeremy Zick(1) Loss-Belcher(2-3) T-2:36 A-4553Game: UM0328
