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The University of Mississippi Athletics
No. 18 Rebels Set To Take On Illinois-Chicago
3/2/2006 | Baseball
March 2, 2006
OXFORD, Miss. - The Rebels continue a 13-game home stand to open the season this weekend when No. 18 Ole Miss (6-2) hosts the Flames of Illinois-Chicago (2-5) in a three-game series this weekend in Oxford.
First pitch of Friday's game is set for 6:30 p.m., in what is the first scheduled night game for the Rebels on the year.
Ole Miss will look to senior Tommy Baumgardner (2-0) to get things started for the Rebels on the mound Friday night. The southpaw has been consistent in back-to-back Friday starts for Ole Miss, as he has struck out 10 batters and holds a 1.38 ERA with only two runs scored in his 13.0 innings of work.
At the plate, the Rebels are led by junior Alex Presley, who has posted a .429 average and a team leading 13 RBI on the season with one home run. Presley started the season strong with a 7-for-10 performance in two games against Saint Louis and has continued to shine at the plate. Joining him leading the Rebel offense are junior Chris Coghlan, who is batting .393 for the season, and freshman Evan Button. Button has made the most of his plate appearances, hitting .778 with seven hits in nine at bats.
Illinois-Chicago enters the weekend with a 2-5 record after dropping a three-game series to then No. 17 Long Beach State.
The Flames will look to Zach Petereson (0-1, Jr., RHP, 2.08 ERA) to lead the charge on Friday. Peterson is looking to rebound from his first loss since dropping a decision on March 21, 2005. Peterson took the loss last weekend in a 5-2 loss to Long Beach State.
Jake Carr leads UIC at the plate, hitting .353 with one RBI after starting five of seven games he's played in this season. Bart Babineaux is the leading run producer, driving in 7 RBI to lead the team and posting the Flames' only home run this season.
