The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Murray State
Rebels Claim Third Straight, Down Murray State 9-3
3/7/2006 | Baseball
March 7, 2006
Box Score
OXFORD, Miss. - Brett Bukvich picked up his first collegiate win on Tuesday, pitching a gem as he tossed 6.0 scoreless innings to lead 19th-ranked Ole Miss (9-3) to its third straight win with a 9-3 win over Murray State (1-9).
Bukvich (1-2) worked 6.0 innings, allowing no runs on four hits as he walked two and struck out seven in earning the win.
Kalen Gibson (0-3) suffered the loss for the Thoroughbreds as he allowed six runs on six hits while walking two and striking out one.
Justin Brashear led the Rebels offense on the night as he went 2-for-4 with two home runs, three RBI and scored two runs. Mark Wright also homered for the Rebels as he went 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored and two RBI. Every starter notched a hit for the Rebels with the exception of Bukvich, who hit for himself to start the game and stayed in the game as the designated hitter after Will Kline came in to relieve him in the seventh.
Will Kline and Jon-Jon Hancock also saw time on the mound for the Rebels. Kline pitched 2.0 innings, allowing two hits and striking out one. Hancock worked the ninth, allowing three runs on five hits. He walked and struck out none.
"We played a really good game today," said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. "You have to credit Gibson. He pitched well, especially the first time through the lineup. It was a good night all around. We pitched well, hit the ball hard and had no errors."
Ole Miss got on the board in the second inning, when Brashear hit his first home run of the night 382 feet over the right field wall to score Wright, who had reached on a walk. The home run gave the Rebels a 2-0 lead.
The Rebels then added four more runs in the fifth inning, sparked by a Wright home run to left center in the first at bat of the inning. Ole Miss would then go on to three more runs that inning, pushing the lead to 6-0.
Two more runs in the sixth pushed the lead to eight runs before Brashear capped the scoring the same way he started the night, sending a ball 390 feet to left center for a solo home run and the final score for Ole Miss.
Murray State sparked a rally in the ninth, stringing five straight hits together to score three runs and snap the Rebels streak of scoreless innings pitched at 29.1 innings going back to Friday night against UIC. The rally also broke up the shutout and prevented a third straight shutout for the Rebels.
Ole Miss and Murray State will return to action on Wednesday at 3 p.m. The game will close out a 13-game home stand to open the season for the Rebels.
