The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Down No. 5 South Carolina 5-4
4/18/2010 | Baseball
With the win, the Rebels salvaged the weekend and avoided the sweep.
Matt Tracy (2-2) picked up the win in relief as he worked 3.2 scoreless innings and allowed one hit with one walk and two strikeouts. Brett Huber picked up his fourth save of the season as he worked the ninth and allowed one hit with a strikeout. Starter David Goforth struck out a career-high eight batters in 4.1 innings of work while allowing four runs on five hits and three walks.
Reliever John Taylor (2-2) took the loss for South Carolina as he gave up one run on the solo shot from David Phillips with two strikeouts.
"It was a gutsy performance today by both teams," said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. "We were able to get some key hits and key pitches and made some big plays. We also were able to put together the big inning in the fifth.
"David Goforth really gutted it out and really gave us a chance to win on Sunday. Matt Tracy did well for us in relief and Brett Huber really looked sharp in the ninth."
South Carolina got on the board first when Scott Wingo hit a solo home run with two down in the third inning to put the Gamecocks up 1-0. The South Carolina hitters had been stymied by Goforth until that point as the Rebel pitcher had struck out seven of the first eight batters faced. The only non-strikeout was a fly out to center field.
The Gamecocks then used a single and two walks to load the bases before Goforth got Nick Ebert to fly out and end the inning with the home team in the lead.
South Carolina extended the lead with another home run in the fourth inning as Adam Matthews sent the ball over the fence in left field to put the Gamecocks up 2-0.
The Rebels answered in the fifth when Tim Ferguson came up with an RBI single through the left side to score Taylor Hightower from third and move David Phillips to third. Ferguson moved to second on a fielding error at third as South Carolina threw toward home to stop Phillips from advancing home. Ole Miss then tied the game with a groundout to first from Miles Hamblin that pushed Phillips across the plate and advanced Ferguson to third.
Matt Smith then hit a two-run shot to left, his seventh home run of the year, to put the Rebels on top 4-2 and send South Carolina to the bullpen for right-hander John Taylor. Taylor got a strikeout to end the inning with no further damage.
South Carolina put together its own rally in the bottom half of the inning, using a two-RBI double from Jeffrey Jones to score Wingo and Jackie Bradley Jr. from the corners and tie the game at four. Ebert was hit by a pitch to put two men on with one out and Ole Miss turned to the bullpen for Matt Tracy. The left-hander retired the next two batters to end the inning knotted at four.
David Phillips opened the seventh inning with a solo home run, his seventh of the season, to put the Rebels back on top 5-4.
Tracy and closer Brett Huber held the Gamecocks off the board from there as Ole Miss held on to pick up the 5-4 win.
The Rebels return to action on Tuesday when Ole Miss will host Southern Miss at 6:30 p.m. at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field to kick off a six game home stand.
