Late ASU Rally Costs Rebels in Opener of Super Regional

TEMPE, Ariz. The Rebels were in control for eight and a half innings on Saturday, but the ball bounced the way of the Sun Devils at the end as No. 3 Arizona State (47-13) rallied in the final frame to take a 4-3 win over No. 13 Ole Miss (40-24) in the first game of Super Regional play.

Arizona State used four hits, including a sac fly to tie the game in the ninth before Brett Wallace came up with a single up the middle to drive in the game-winning run. Wallace was hitless on the night in four at bats before coming up with the RBI single in the ninth.

Kline (7-3) suffered the loss after turning in a masterful performance through the first eight innings. The right-hander tossed his third complete-game of the season, allowing four runs on 11 hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Brian Flores (11-1) picked up the win in relief as he held the Rebels hitless with one walk and four strikeouts in the final 2.0 innings to pick up the win. Starter Mike Leake worked 7.0 innings, allowing three runs on 13 hits with no walks and five strikeouts before leaving the game in favor of Flores after seven innings.

The loss marked the 14^th one-run loss of the season for the Rebels who have been involved in 22 one-run games this season.

Ole Miss couldn't put the game out of reach as the Rebels left 10 runners stranded on the night and hit into three rally squelching double plays that prevented the lead from being extended.

Zack Cozart led the Rebels at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI while Jordan Henry went 3-for-5 with a run scored and Zach Miller was 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.

Ole Miss struck first as a single to center from Zach Miller pushed Alex Kliman across the plate in the third. Kliman doubled to right center to open the inning before moving to third on an infield single to first from Jordan Henry.

Arizona State attempted to mount a rally in the fifth inning as the Sun Devils as C.J. Retherford doubled down the left field line, putting runners in scoring position with one out, as Matt Spencer moved from first to third on the play. Retherford, who reached on a single to left, was held up at third on the ground-rule double as the ball bounced out of play. Andrew Romine then flew out to shallow left, leaving both runners at second and third for Brett Wallace. Wallace grounded out to third, ending the inning with the Rebels still leading 1-0.

The Sun Devils opened the sixth inning with a bunt single down the left field line to put Eric Sogard on the bases. With an out on the board, Kiel Roling singled down the left field line and moved to third as Sogard tried to go home from first and was caught in a rundown for the second out. Ike Davis then grounded out to short to end the inning.

Ole Miss loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh when Zack Cozart came up with a bloop single over the head of the second baseman to push two runs across and give the Rebels a 3-0 lead.

Sogard homered with one out in the eighth to get the Sun Devils on the board and cut the Rebel lead to two at 3-1.

Arizona State mounted its rally in the bottom of the ninth as back-to-back singles put runners at first and second to open the inning. A single through the right side from Tim Smith loaded the bases for Retherford. Retherford grounded out to third, pushing a run across and moving runners to second and third with one out. Pinch-hitter Jason Jarvis drove in the tying run on a sac fly to deep right field before Brett Wallace came up with the game winning hit.

Ole Miss and Arizona State will face-off again at 6 p.m. CST in the second game of the Tempe Super Regional at Packard Stadium.

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Late ASU Rally Costs Rebels in Opener of Super Regional

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