The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Alcorn State
No. 3 Baseball Rolls Past Alcorn State
3/9/2021 | Baseball
Rebels Notch Midweek Win, 11-1 in Eight Innings
OXFORD, Miss. — It took just eight innings for No. 3 Ole Miss baseball to put away Alcorn State thanks to a trio of productive offensive innings the Rebels (11-2) took care of business Tuesday evening and beat the Braves 11-1 at Swayze Field.
Josh Mallitz earned the first win of his young Ole Miss career and recorded a career-high six strikeouts with 4.0 IP on 58 pitches. The bullpen allowed just two hits as Luke Baker, Cody Adcock, Brandon Johnson and Wes Burton each struck out two batters with an inning apiece.
Newly named National and SEC Player of the Week Tim Elko continued an outstanding stretch at the plate going 2-for-3 with three RBI and runs scored. Hayden Dunhurst also crossed home three times while being walked four times. Hayden Leatherwood went 2-for-3 at the plate and added an RBI.
Mallitz started things off going 1-2-3 through the Braves order, but the Rebels failed to capitalize off back-to-back walks issued to Dunhurst and Elko. Alcorn State then threatened in the second inning after getting their first hit of the game and a fielding error, putting runners at the corners and two outs. Mallitz proceeded to get out of the frame unscathed by striking out the side. Ole Miss stranded two more on base to end the second inning.
After a strikeout and ground out, Tristin Garcia singled through the right side and later had a golden opportunity to reach home. Hunter Wilson roped a double down the left field line while Garcia attempted to score from far, but a relay throw from Kevin Graham to Jacob Gonzalez to Dunhurst made it in time for the final out Alcorn State out. The Rebels then immediately loaded the bases after three walks. New Brave pitcher Raylan Wagner hit Cael Baker with a pitch, allowing Jacob Gonzalez to score Ole Miss' first run of the game. A single by Leatherwood and sac fly by Ben Van Cleve extended the lead to 3-0.
Baker replaced Mallitz on the mound in the fifth after a few career-highs for the freshman starter out of Tampa, Florida. Two batters in, Khalil Smith hit a solo shot to the left field bullpen to get Alcorn State on the board for the first time, but Baker responded by getting out of the frame on just four pitches. Leatherwood got his second hit of the game in the bottom half of the fifth and got in scoring position, but the Braves got out of the inning unscathed by striking out Van Cleve.
Adcock started the sixth inning out of the bullpen and got through the inning despite a hit by Tyler Daniels. The Rebels responded offensively by loading the bases with one out. Plumlee and Elko both scored on wild pitches while Elko himself had a two-RBI double to give Ole Miss a 7-1 lead after six compete.
After a few quick innings of work from Johnson and Burton out of the bullpen, the Rebels put the game away for good. Elko tacked on another hit and RBI with a single that scored Gonzalez, which was followed up by an RBI single from Sammons that scored Dunhurst. After a ground out from Baker scored Elko, Harris plated Sammons on a sac fly that triggered the 10-run rule and ended Tuesday's game prematurely.
The Rebels begin another weekend series on March 12 as they host ULM. Friday's first pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. CT and can be seen on SEC Network+ or listened to on the Ole Miss Radio Network.
QUICK HITS
⁃ Ole Miss advances to 11-2 overall and 4-0 in midweek games this season
⁃ The Rebels are now 2-0 all-time against Alcorn State.
⁃ Josh Mallitz had a career-high six strikeouts and four innings pitched while making his first career start.
⁃ Cade Sammons had his first RBI of the season in the eighth inning.
⁃ Tim Elko now has 17 RBI in the last six games.
⁃ Justin Bench logged his sixth hit-by-pitch this season, which leads the SEC.
