The University of Mississippi Athletics
SIDEBAR: Clutch Hitting Drives Rebels in Game 2
2/17/2018 | Baseball, Blog
"Once the right fielder got close to the wall I knew it had a chance," Zabowski said. "I was just trying to go up there, do some damage and get the job done."
Set up by a pair of two-out base hits from Ryan Olenek and Chase Cockrell, it was the second game in a row that Ole Miss put together a three-run inning with two outs. The Rebels have nine RBIs and 10 runs with two outs in their first two games of the season.
"That is big," head coach Mike Bianco said. "One of the talks we had early this year in the three weeks leading into the season was about getting the timely hit, and we have to win those battles. We have to extend innings. Everyone looks at batting average. That is the easy stat, but what can be misleading is can you put innings together? Can you finish innings off? As an offense it is huge. It is also defeating for the other team because you are an out away from finishing the inning, but you can't. Someone gets a clutch hit. We seem to have done it terrifically tonight and last night."
Six of the Rebels' eight runs came with two outs. They chased Rendon in the sixth inning while charging for two more runs in the process.Â
"We believe we are a good offensive team," Zabowski said. "We work really hard in the offseason to have nights like this. It is a big confidence boost."
Zabowski was one of three new entrants in the lineup along with freshman third baseman Tim Elko and designated hitter Chase Cockrell. Those three hitters went a combined 6-for-10 with four RBIs and five runs scored. Cockrell went 3-for-3 and Zabowski was responsible for all four RBIs.
"It's nice because it isn't just new guys," Bianco said. "It's Cole Zabowski and Chase Cockrell too that had big nights tonight that didn't start opening day but were here last year. That is neat to see."
Bianco has put out two pretty differing lineups the first two days that saw Ryan Olenek play second base on this night and Tim Rowe play right field. The lineup hasn't missed a beat from an offensive standpoint in either game.
Freshman Michael Spears got in on the fun too when he launched a double into the right field corner in the seventh inning that plated Nick Fortes and served as the Rebels' final two-out RBI of the night.Â
The early run support was more than enough for junior righty Brady Feigl who turned in six innings of shutout ball while scattering six hits.
"I had a ton of help around me," Feigl said. "The defense was stellar. Fortes behind the plate was a wall. That definitely helps. I was happy with the outing and getting out of there without allowing any damage.
Fiegl worked out of a couple of different jams and used his slider to freeze Cale Gibson to help get out of a two-on, no-out jam in the fifth, and induced a ground ball that turned into a 4-6-3 double play in the fourth. Winthrop had its opportunities, but Feigl thwarted them each time.
"I was happy with it," Feigl said of his slider. "It needs to get a tick more consistent but it is getting there. I thought it was good. It worked for me today."
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