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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Host Samford Tuesday To Close Homestand
3/21/2011 | Baseball
March 21, 2011
Ole Miss (15-6) vs. Samford (15-7)
Oxford, Miss. • O-U Stadium/Swayze Field
March 22 • 6:30 PM
Radio: Full Ole Miss Baseball Radio Network
Announcers: David Kellum & Keith Kessinger
Internet Stats/Broadcasts: www.OleMissSports.com
THIS WEEK FOR OLE MISS:
Ole Miss will play a single midweek game at home against the Samford Bulldogs on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. before taking to the road for a swing of eight straight contests away from Swayze Field. That strech starts in SEC play at Knoxville when the Rebels take on Tennessee in a three-game series. Saturday and Sunday's games have been picked up for TV.
NEXT WEEK FOR THE REBELS:
Ole Miss will continue to play on the road next week with a midweek contest at Southern Miss on Wednesday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m. The Rebels will then head south to Baton Rouge for a three-game series at LSU. Friday's game begins at 7:00 p.m., while Saturday's game will be on Cox Sports at 6:30 p.m. Sunday's contest is set for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.
PROBABLE PITCHING MATCH-UPS:
TUESDAY, 6:30 P.M.
SU - Joshua VanFleteren, Sr., RHP
OM - Matt Tracy, Sr., LHP
NOTING TRACY: Senior left-hander Matt Tracy makes his third start of the year and fourth appearance this season when he takes the mound against WKU on Tuesday night. Tracy is coming off a career outing against Jackson State last week, striking out 11 batters and working 7.0 innings before leaving the game. To date, the senior is tied for the team lead with 29 strikeouts and holds a 2-1 record in 21.2 innings of work. Tracy has made four starts in five appearances this season.
A LOOK AT SAMFORD:
The Bulldogs of Samford enter Tuesday night's contest with an overall mark of 15-7 and are coming off a series win over Georgia Southern this past weekend. The Bulldogs hit .289 as a team and are led at the plate by Phillip Ervin's .403 average. Brandon Miller leads the squad with five home runs, while Saxon Butler has posted a team-leading 24 RBI. Butler is the reigning SoCon Player of the Week. As a pitching staff, Samford holds a 2.77 ERA and has struck out 193 batters and walked 81. Joshua VanFleteren makes his fifth start on Tuesday night and holds a 2-1 record with a 3.71 ERA. He has struck out 13 and walked 11 in 17.0 innings of work. Opponents are hitting .323 against the right-hander this year.
OLE MISS VS. SAMFORD:
Ole Miss and Samford have faced each other seven times in the history of the two programs with the Rebels holding a 4-3 lead on the Bulldogs. The last meeting between the two teams came in 2006 with the Rebels spltting a two-game series. Ole MIss won 11-4 the first night before falling 3-2 in the second game.
SOME HAVE HIT STREAKS ON THE LINE:
Three Rebels hold hit streaks of more than one game heading into the weekend's series against Alabama. Matt Smith leads the way with a six game hit streak, while Tanner Mathis has hit safely in four consecutive games. Taylor Hightower (3), Matt Tracy (2) and Alex Yarbrough (2) are right behind on the list.
OTHERS KEEP REACHING BASE:
While hit streaks are an eye-catching stat, an often overlooked stat is reaching base. Tanner Mathis (10) leads the team in consecutive games reaching base, while Matt Smith (6) and Blake Newalu (6) are right behind him. Taylor Hightower has reached base safely in five straight games played, while Matt Tracy and Alex Yarbrough have reached in two consecutive games. Matt Snyder held the longest streak this year with 12 games.
