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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
South Carolina
Rebels Fall To Gamecocks 8-1 On Saturday
4/12/2009 | Baseball
OXFORD, Miss. -- Jordan Henry went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI, but it wasn't enough to keep pace with a hot Gamecock offense as No. 14 Ole Miss (24-10, 8-6 SEC) fell to South Carolina (23-11, 7-7 SEC) by a score of 8-1 on Saturday.
The loss clinched the series for the Gamecocks as Ole Miss and South Carolina will take the field at noon on Sunday for the final game of the series. It is the first time the home team has not won the series in the last nine seasons.
Bobby Haney led the Gamecocks at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance and three RBI. Both of his hits were home runs.
"Today it was about South Carolina and how they played," said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. "I thought they played terrific and Belcher pitched well. I am disappointed in our efforts offensively because we gave too many at bats away, especially when the game was in question."
Phillip Irwin (5-2) suffered the loss for the Rebels, allowing six runs - five earned - on nine hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
Nelson Belcher (2-1) picked up the win for South Carolina as he worked a complete-game and held the Rebels to one run on nine hits with three walks and eight strikeouts.
South Carolina jumped out to an early lead with a two-run home run from Haney in he second inning as he round tripper scored Justin Dalles who drew a two-out walk a batter earlier to reach base.
Ole Miss answered in the third when Tim Ferguson scored on a fielding error at short on a grounder from Henry. Ferguson tripled to open the inning before scoring on the Henry grounder to cut the lead to 2-1.
It was all South Carolina from there as the Gamecocks added a singe run in the fourth on a two-out rally as Andrew Crisp doubled and then scored on a single from Dalles to push the lead out to 3-1.
South Carolina added to the lead in the fifth, pushing three runs across the plate with another two-out rally. DeAngelo Mack drew a walk before Nick Ebert hit a two-run home run. Jackie Bradley Jr. then singled before scoring on a double from Parker Bangs as the Gamecocks took a 6-1 lead.
The Gamecocks then capped the scoring in the ninth when Haney opened the frame with a solo home run. A strikeout later, the Gamecocks used a walk a single and a double to push the eighth run of the game home for the final margin of victory at 8-1.
Ole Miss and South Carolina will play the final game of the series at noon on Sunday at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.
