The University of Mississippi Athletics
Saturday, March 6
Oxford, Miss.
1:30 PM
Ole Miss
9-2
4
vs
3
Belmont
3-4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Belmont
1
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
5
2
Ole Miss
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
1
X
4
9
1
Graham's Game-Winner Gives Baseball Series Victory Over Belmont
3/6/2021 | Baseball
Graham's 8th Inning Home Run Deciding Factor in 4-3 Win
OXFORD, Miss. – It wasn't the blowout fashion No. 4 Ole Miss has become accustomed to, having been victors of three one-sided victories in a row, but the Rebels came from behind today to edge out Belmont and take the series on Saturday's matinee action. Some late-game heroics from the Rebel offense ensured the series victory over Belmont, but also gave Head Coach Mike Bianco his 500th career win at Swayze Field in the skipper's 21st year at Ole Miss.
The two teams today were locked in a 3-3 tie for most of the ballgame, after Ole Miss overcame an early 3-0 deficit, but Kevin Graham finally broke the stalemate with the deciding run in today's action, a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth that reached the student section in right field 405 feet off the bat.
Graham's homer was the first of the season for the junior, and he became the ninth Rebel so far this season to log a home run. Graham was 0-for-3 coming into the inning, having fallen victim to the defensive infield shift from the Bruins for a majority of the action today, but proved to be the difference maker with his solo shot in the eighth.
To get there, however, the Rebels needed to bounce back from an early deficit, and did just that in the third inning of today's action. Jacob Gonzalez first put the Rebels on the scoreboard with an RBI single, while Graham plated two more after a bases-loaded ground ball resulted in a fielder's choice and throwing error.
It was Graham's long ball five innings later that decidedly put Ole Miss in command on Saturday vs. Belmont, but it was the strong arms of the Rebel pitching staff that kept them in striking distance throughout the game.
Gunnar Hoglund earned his third start of the season and turned in 5.1 IP to increase his streak of five or more innings pitched to 10 consecutive games, dating back to last season. The Bruins struck through early for three runs against Hoglund, all of them earned, but the Saturday starter still managed to record seven strikeouts against just two walks and five hits.
Hoglund came back out for the sixth, but after allowing two to reach, he turned it over to Jackson Kimbrell, who has specialized in holding tight scores early into the season. Kimbrell stranded both of the runners he inherited from Hoglund, and went on to pitch a flawless 1-2-3 seventh inning. From there, it was the closer Taylor Broadway's time to shine.
Broadway entered into a tied ballgame in the top of the eighth and made it stay that way with three strikeouts in his first inning out. After Graham's homer put the Rebels on top in the bottom half, Broadway was in line for the win and picked up his first of the season after he retired three in the top of the ninth, one of which was erased with a nifty pickoff move to first.
Broadway earned his fourth career victory in his third appearance of the season and increased his season scoreless streak to 7.0 IP, while Kimbrell increased his to 10.1 IP, as both are proving to be quality first arms out of the bullpen.
No. 4 Ole Miss will go for the series sweep against Belmont tomorrow from Swayze Field with a first pitch of 1:30 p.m. CT.
Quick Hits
- Ole Miss improves to 9-2 on the year, and remains undefeated vs. Belmont with a 4-0 all-time record.
- Head Coach Mike Bianco earned his 500th career win at Swayze Field today.
- Gunnar Hoglund turned in 5.1 IP, to increase his stretch of starts with at least 5.0 IP to 10 in a row, dating back to 2019.
- Kevin Graham notched his first homer of the season today and became the ninth Rebel to homer so far this year.
- Tim Elko turned in his third multi-hit game over the past four contests today.
- Justin Bench tied his career-high mark with three hits today, his third game with three hits so far this season. Bench also leads the Rebels with three games with three-plus hits.
- Jackson Kimbrell held the Bruins scoreless today to increase his scoreless streak to 10.1 IP so far this season.
- Taylor Broadway is also yet to allow a run this season and increased his scoreless streak to 7.0 IP, second only to Kimbrell.
For all Ole Miss Baseball news and information, visit the official athletics site OleMissSports.com. For more social media updates, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissBSB, on Facebook at Ole Miss Baseball and on Instagram at olemissbsb.
The two teams today were locked in a 3-3 tie for most of the ballgame, after Ole Miss overcame an early 3-0 deficit, but Kevin Graham finally broke the stalemate with the deciding run in today's action, a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth that reached the student section in right field 405 feet off the bat.
Graham's homer was the first of the season for the junior, and he became the ninth Rebel so far this season to log a home run. Graham was 0-for-3 coming into the inning, having fallen victim to the defensive infield shift from the Bruins for a majority of the action today, but proved to be the difference maker with his solo shot in the eighth.
To get there, however, the Rebels needed to bounce back from an early deficit, and did just that in the third inning of today's action. Jacob Gonzalez first put the Rebels on the scoreboard with an RBI single, while Graham plated two more after a bases-loaded ground ball resulted in a fielder's choice and throwing error.
It was Graham's long ball five innings later that decidedly put Ole Miss in command on Saturday vs. Belmont, but it was the strong arms of the Rebel pitching staff that kept them in striking distance throughout the game.
Gunnar Hoglund earned his third start of the season and turned in 5.1 IP to increase his streak of five or more innings pitched to 10 consecutive games, dating back to last season. The Bruins struck through early for three runs against Hoglund, all of them earned, but the Saturday starter still managed to record seven strikeouts against just two walks and five hits.
Hoglund came back out for the sixth, but after allowing two to reach, he turned it over to Jackson Kimbrell, who has specialized in holding tight scores early into the season. Kimbrell stranded both of the runners he inherited from Hoglund, and went on to pitch a flawless 1-2-3 seventh inning. From there, it was the closer Taylor Broadway's time to shine.
Broadway entered into a tied ballgame in the top of the eighth and made it stay that way with three strikeouts in his first inning out. After Graham's homer put the Rebels on top in the bottom half, Broadway was in line for the win and picked up his first of the season after he retired three in the top of the ninth, one of which was erased with a nifty pickoff move to first.
Broadway earned his fourth career victory in his third appearance of the season and increased his season scoreless streak to 7.0 IP, while Kimbrell increased his to 10.1 IP, as both are proving to be quality first arms out of the bullpen.
No. 4 Ole Miss will go for the series sweep against Belmont tomorrow from Swayze Field with a first pitch of 1:30 p.m. CT.
Quick Hits
- Ole Miss improves to 9-2 on the year, and remains undefeated vs. Belmont with a 4-0 all-time record.
- Head Coach Mike Bianco earned his 500th career win at Swayze Field today.
- Gunnar Hoglund turned in 5.1 IP, to increase his stretch of starts with at least 5.0 IP to 10 in a row, dating back to 2019.
- Kevin Graham notched his first homer of the season today and became the ninth Rebel to homer so far this year.
- Tim Elko turned in his third multi-hit game over the past four contests today.
- Justin Bench tied his career-high mark with three hits today, his third game with three hits so far this season. Bench also leads the Rebels with three games with three-plus hits.
- Jackson Kimbrell held the Bruins scoreless today to increase his scoreless streak to 10.1 IP so far this season.
- Taylor Broadway is also yet to allow a run this season and increased his scoreless streak to 7.0 IP, second only to Kimbrell.
For all Ole Miss Baseball news and information, visit the official athletics site OleMissSports.com. For more social media updates, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissBSB, on Facebook at Ole Miss Baseball and on Instagram at olemissbsb.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Broadway, Taylor (1-0)
L: Hubbell (0-1)
Batting:
HR: Crider 1
RBI: Behrends 1 ; Crider 2
SH: Capobianco 1
SF: Crider 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Shacklett 1 ; Crider 1 ; Capobianco 1
CS: Campbell 1
PO: Heaton 1 ; Campbell 1
Batting:
2B: Bench, Justin 1
HR: Graham, Kevin 1
RBI: Gonzalez, Jacob 1 ; Graham, Kevin 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Bench, Justin 1 ; Gonzalez, Jacob 1 ; Dunhurst, Hayden 1 ; Graham, Kevin 1
SB: Sammons, Cade 1
CS: Bench, Justin 1
HBP: Dunhurst, Hayden 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
IF/OF
/ Baseball
RHP/IF
/ Baseball
LHP
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Brayden Randle Hits First HR of The Season vs Murray State
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