The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Host Auburn With SEC West On The Line
5/19/2010 | Baseball
#16 Ole Miss (36-17, 16-11) vs. #16 Auburn (36-17, 17-10)
Oxford, Miss. • Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field
May 20-22 • 6:30 p.m./6:30 p.m./4:00 p.m.
Radio: Full Ole Miss Baseball Radio Network
Announcers: David Kellum & Gary Darby
Live Video: RebelVision
Live Audio: RebelVision
THIS WEEK FOR OLE MISS:
Ole Miss plays the regular-season ending series this weekend with the Southeastern Conference's Western Division title on the line. The Rebels host the Auburn Tigers in a three-game series that could spell a divisional championship for the series winner. The contest runs Thursday-Saturday with start times of 6:30 p.m. on both Thursday and Friday and a 4 p.m. start on Saturday in the regular-season finale. Ole Miss will honor its seniors on Friday prior to the game.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCH-UPS:
THURSDAY, 6:30 P.M.
AU - Cory Luckie, Soph., LHP
OM - Drew Pomeranz, Jr., LHP
NOTING POMERANZ: Pomeranz enters the regular season finale against Auburn with a 7-1 record and continues to lead the Southeastern Conference in several categories, including strikeouts (121), ERA (2.15) and opposing batting average (.176). The southpaw is second in the nation in strikeouts and is only seven strikeouts shy of setting the career strikeout mark currently held by Lance Lynn. Pomeranz has struck out 326 batter for his career. Hewas recently named a finalist for the 2010 Ferriss Trophy awarded annually to the top collegiate baseball player in the state of Mississippi.
FRIDAY, 6:30 P.M.
AU - TBA
OM - Aaron Barrett, Sr., RHP
NOTING BARRETT: Barrett enters the regular season ending contest coming off another quality start at Alabama where the right-hander allowed only one earned run and one hit in moer than six innings of work. Barrett is second in the SEC in striekouts (88) behind teammate Drew Pomeranz entering the weekend and holds a 7-2 record on the season. On the year, Barrett has held opponents to a .215 batting average against, second on the team among starters behind Pomeranz and third on the team overall behind Pomeranz and closer Brett Huber (.193).
SATURDAY, 4:00 P.M.
AU - TBA
OM - TBA
REBELS IN THE RANKINGS:
For the sixth straight season Ole Miss opened the year ranked in the preseason polls. Currently, the Rebels are ranked as high as 16th (Rivals.com) and appear in the rankings of all of five of the major college baseball polls. The Rebels were ranked 11th nationally the week of March 28-April 4 before dropping a weekend series to Tennessee - the highest ranking of the season for the Rebels. Ole Miss matched that ranking the week of May 3 before falling to ninth-ranked Arkansas in a weekend series.
A LOOK AT AUBURN:
The Auburn Tigers enter the weekend holding a one game lead on the Rebels for the Western Division and an overall record of 36-17 and 17-10 in SEC play. Auburn is batting .354 as a team and is led at the plate by Hunter Morris with a .398 average and 20 home runs to go along with 66 RBI. As a team, Auburn has hit 106 home runs this season. The Tigers' pitching staff holds a 4.99 ERA and Thursday starter Cory Luckie holds a 6.36 ERA and a 6-3 record. He has struck out 44 batters and walked 16, while allowing batters to hit at a .285 clip against him. Teams are batting .277 against Auburn on the season and the squad has struck out 393 batters while walking only 180.
REBELS VS. AUBURN:
Ole Miss and Auburn have faced off 145 times in the history of the two schools with the Rebels holding a 73-71-1 advantage in the all-time series. Ole Miss has won four straight series over the Tigers.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME:
The home field has been kind to the Rebels during Bianco's tenure as Ole Miss has posted a 261-95-1 record within the friendly confines of O-U Stadium/Swayze Field for a (.732 winning percentage) at home.
HIT STREAKS ON THE LINE:
Tim Ferguson and Zach Miller enter the weekend holding three game hit streaks, while Tanner Mathis and Mike Snyder have both hit safely in two straight games played. . The season's longest hit streak belongs to Matt Smith who saw a career-long 18 game hit streak snapped on April 16 at South Carolina.
