The University of Mississippi Athletics
The Journey to this Point...2016 Ole Miss Baseball
3/23/2016 | Baseball, Blog
By Tate Hawkins, Ole Miss Athletics Media Relations
In case you missed it, or you've been focused on the winter sports, Ole Miss Baseball is already five weeks into the 2016 season. After an 8-2 win over UT Martin on Tuesday, the Diamond Rebels are 20-2, tying its best 22-game start in program history.
The Rebels roll into the second weekend of SEC play and thefirst at Swayze after winning nine of their last 10 ballgames. Ole Miss sits inthe top 10 of all six major college baseball rankings across the country,sitting as high as sixth in the Collegiate Baseball national poll and makingthem one of four SEC teams in the top 10.
Ole Miss got off to its hot start early by winning seven of thefirst eight games in Oxford, including a sweep over Florida International, takingtwo-of-three against then-No. 2 Louisville, as well as midweek wins againstArkansas State and Memphis. Then, the Rebels went to Myrtle Beach, SouthCarolina to participate in the 2016 Chanticleer Classic, winning all 3 of theirgames. Ole Miss posted victories over Ball State, then-No. 18 Coastal Carolina,and Cincinnati outscoring the three opponents a combined 22-6.
Following the weekend road trip, it was back home to Swayzewhere the Rebs would continue their winning ways by picking up sweeps overSoutheast Missouri and Grambling State, taking a 12-game win streak into thefirst weekend of SEC play.
Ole Miss opened conference play by taking two-of-three fromthe Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville, winning on Saturday and Sunday andbringing their record to 19-2. The Rebels followed the victorious weekend with amidweek win over UT Martin.Â
The impressive start has been accredited to masterfulpitching and hot hitting. The Ole Miss pitching staff boasts a club ERA of 2.42led by weekend starters Brady Bramlett (2.03), Chad Smith (3.91), and SeanJohnson (1.96). The bullpen features relievers David Parkinson (1.35), DallasWoolfolk (0.00) and Andy Pagnozzi (2.42), and closer Wyatt Short (0.87) who hasfive saves. The Rebel hitters are led by Tate Blackman (.347, 2 HR, 21 RBI),Henri Lartigue (.339, 1 HR, 9 RBI), Colby Bortles (.329, 3 HR, 19 RBI) and J.B.Woodman (.325, 4 HR, 21 RBI). The Rebels have put 20 baseballs over the walls forhomers, led by J.B. Woodman and Cameron Dishon who both have hit four dingersof their own.
This weekend, the Rebels host the 20-2 South CarolinaGamecocks, who are ranked as high as No. 10, for their first home SEC series ofthe year. The three-game slate is set for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday inobservance of the Easter Sunday holiday. So dye your Easter Eggs fast andpostpone the egg hunt to Sunday because the baseball needs the support of RebelNation for this weekend's big top-10 matchup. Pack Swayze and be ready for the bottom of the fifth...
