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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Hamblin Homers Again, But Rebels Fall To Alabama
5/27/2010 | Baseball
HOOVER, Ala. - Matt Smith went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Miles Hamblin hit his second home run in as many days, but it wasn't enough to help the Rebels to victory on Thursday as No. 21 Ole Miss (37-21) fell to Alabama (36-21) by a score of 6-3 in the second round of the SEC Tournament.
Ole Miss will now face Auburn in an elimination game at 3 p.m. on Friday at Regions Park.
Senior Aaron Barrett (7-4) suffered the loss for the Rebels as he allowed four runs on nine hits with four walks and five strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work.
Alabama's Nathan Kilcrease (6-2) picked up the win as he held the Rebels to three runs on nine hits with three strikeouts on the afternoon. Jake Smith picked up his fourth save of the season as he moved from his position at third to the mound with one out and two men on in the ninth inning.
"You have to give credit to Alabama, they played better than we did today," said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. "[Nathan] Kilcrease was very tough. Aaron Barrett competed hard and gave us chances. When you aren't swinging well and aren't scoring runs, all the defensive plays are magnified and we didn't give ourselves enough opportunities offensively until later in the game."
Alabama struck first, scoring in the fifth inning when Taylor Dugas scored from second on a single to left field from Josh Rutledge. The two out hit came following a steal of second by the Alabama player after he drew a walk in the previous at bat. With run, the Crimson Tide took a 1-0 lead on the Rebels.
The Crimson Tide extended the lead in the sixth inning when Jon Kelton tripled to the wall in right center to score David Kindred from first. Kindred reached on a base hit back to the mound that was fielded and dropped by the pitcher, allowing Kindred to reach base safely. A throwing error on a bunt back to the mound then allowed Andrew Miller to reach base and put men at the corners with one outs.
Another bunt drove in the runner from third and put men and first and second with one out as Alabama took a 3-0 lead on the Rebels.
Ole Miss turned to reliever Rory McKean in the seventh inning after a lead-off single to center field from Ross Wilson. McKean then hit Clay Jones with a pitch to put two men on with no outs and bring Kindred to the plate. Kindred then laid down a sac bunt to advance both runners, putting two men in scoring position for Jake Smith. Smith then flew out to center to drive in Wilson and give Alabama the 4-0 lead.
The Rebels responded in the bottom of the seventh when Matt Smith scored on a single through the right side from David Phillips. Smith doubled in the previous at bat to get on base for the Phillips hit.
The Crimson Tide pushed the lead back out to four runs in the eighth when Rutledge came up with a two-out single to left that scored Brock Bennett from third. Bennett singled to reach base and then took second on a balk and third on a groundout to first. Following a hit batter that put two men on, the Rebels turned to the bullpen again for Eric Callender. A single up the middle to the next batter drove in another run and gave Alabama a 6-1 lead on the Rebels.
Miles Hamblin opened the eighth with a solo shot for the Rebels, cutting the lead to 6-2.
Ole Miss continued to cut into the lead in the ninth when Alex Yarbrough came up with an RBI single to right center to score Smith from second. Smith doubled to right center to open the inning. The Rebels would not get another run across, however, as Alabama turned to Jake Smith in relief and he got the Crimson Tide out of the inning with no more damage.
Ole Miss will now face Auburn in an elimination game at 3 p.m. on Friday at Regions Park.
Senior Aaron Barrett (7-4) suffered the loss for the Rebels as he allowed four runs on nine hits with four walks and five strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work.
Alabama's Nathan Kilcrease (6-2) picked up the win as he held the Rebels to three runs on nine hits with three strikeouts on the afternoon. Jake Smith picked up his fourth save of the season as he moved from his position at third to the mound with one out and two men on in the ninth inning.
"You have to give credit to Alabama, they played better than we did today," said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. "[Nathan] Kilcrease was very tough. Aaron Barrett competed hard and gave us chances. When you aren't swinging well and aren't scoring runs, all the defensive plays are magnified and we didn't give ourselves enough opportunities offensively until later in the game."
Alabama struck first, scoring in the fifth inning when Taylor Dugas scored from second on a single to left field from Josh Rutledge. The two out hit came following a steal of second by the Alabama player after he drew a walk in the previous at bat. With run, the Crimson Tide took a 1-0 lead on the Rebels.
The Crimson Tide extended the lead in the sixth inning when Jon Kelton tripled to the wall in right center to score David Kindred from first. Kindred reached on a base hit back to the mound that was fielded and dropped by the pitcher, allowing Kindred to reach base safely. A throwing error on a bunt back to the mound then allowed Andrew Miller to reach base and put men at the corners with one outs.
Another bunt drove in the runner from third and put men and first and second with one out as Alabama took a 3-0 lead on the Rebels.
Ole Miss turned to reliever Rory McKean in the seventh inning after a lead-off single to center field from Ross Wilson. McKean then hit Clay Jones with a pitch to put two men on with no outs and bring Kindred to the plate. Kindred then laid down a sac bunt to advance both runners, putting two men in scoring position for Jake Smith. Smith then flew out to center to drive in Wilson and give Alabama the 4-0 lead.
The Rebels responded in the bottom of the seventh when Matt Smith scored on a single through the right side from David Phillips. Smith doubled in the previous at bat to get on base for the Phillips hit.
The Crimson Tide pushed the lead back out to four runs in the eighth when Rutledge came up with a two-out single to left that scored Brock Bennett from third. Bennett singled to reach base and then took second on a balk and third on a groundout to first. Following a hit batter that put two men on, the Rebels turned to the bullpen again for Eric Callender. A single up the middle to the next batter drove in another run and gave Alabama a 6-1 lead on the Rebels.
Miles Hamblin opened the eighth with a solo shot for the Rebels, cutting the lead to 6-2.
Ole Miss continued to cut into the lead in the ninth when Alex Yarbrough came up with an RBI single to right center to score Smith from second. Smith doubled to right center to open the inning. The Rebels would not get another run across, however, as Alabama turned to Jake Smith in relief and he got the Crimson Tide out of the inning with no more damage.
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