The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Auburn
Pomeranz Ties Career Strikeout Mark In 5-3 Loss
5/21/2010 | Baseball
OXFORD, Miss. - Drew Pomeranz tied the school record for strikeouts in a career, bringing his three-year total to 332 strikeouts, but one swing of the bat proved to be the Rebels undoing as No. 16 Ole Miss (36-18, 16-12 SEC) fell to No. 16 Auburn (37-17, 18-10 SEC) by a score of 5-3 on Thursday night.
With the Rebels leading 3-2 in the eighth, pinch-hitter Kevin Patterson hit a three-run shot to right field to push Auburn into the lead as the Tigers claimed the series opener.
Pomeranz (7-2) suffered the loss as he allowed four runs on eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Freshman reliever Brett Huber gave up the three-run shot after coming in to relieve Pomeranz, working 2.0 innings and allowing one run on one hit with a walk and a strikeout.
Bradley Hendrix (3-2) picked up the win in relief as he worked 1.0 inning and held the Rebels to one hit. Austin Hubbard picked up his ninth save of the year with 2.0 innings of scoreless work, holding Ole Miss to two hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
"It was a great college baseball game," said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. "Both teams competed really hard. Peterson's home run was the difference, along with them getting a couple of big base hits. We missed a couple of opportunities; they didn't and were able to score a few more.
Auburn got on the board first, scoring when Dan Gamache sent a solo shot over the fence in left field to open the third inning.
Ole Miss moved into the lead in the sixth inning when Hashman hit his eighth home run of the season, a three-run shot to left field that gave the Rebels the 3-1 lead. Matt Smith and Matt Snyder scored on the play following a walk of Smith and a single up the middle from Snyder to put the two men on base.
The Tigers answered in the top of the seventh, putting men at the corners with one out before Casey McElroy singled to left center to drive in a run and move Tony Caldwell from first to third and cut the lead to 3-2. Pomeranz then struck out the next two batters to end the inning with the Rebels holding to a one run lead.
A walk and a chop single started the Auburn eighth and sent the Rebels to the bullpen for Brett Huber. Huber got two outs, but pinch-hitter Kevin Patterson hit a three-run shot to right field to push Auburn back on top 5-3.
The lead would hold for the Tigers as Ole Miss would get runners aboard, but couldn't push another run home in the final two frames to drop the series opener.
Auburn and Ole Miss will play game two of the series at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night at O-U Stadium/Swayze Field. The Rebels will honor seven seniors prior to the game on senior night before seeking to even the weekend series with the Tigers.
