The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
39-23
Arkansas
46-20
Baseball Falls 3-2, Sets Up Win or Go Home Game
6/22/2022 | Baseball
Rebels and Razorbacks to Play Again Thursday
OMAHA, Neb. – Ole Miss gave itself a chance in the bottom of the ninth inning Wednesday night but lost 3-2 against Arkansas at the College World Series.
Trailing 3-1 with the bases loaded and no outs, the Rebels managed but one run, and the win went to the Razorbacks.
The Rebels and Razorbacks play again at 3 p.m. Thursday with the winner advancing to play Oklahoma in the College World Series Final series beginning Saturday.
There wasn't much scoring in the contest, but it was the long ball that took center stage through the early innings.
Chris Lanzilli led off the second inning for Arkansas with a solo home run off Rebel left-handed starter John Gaddis to left field that got to the top of the wall and barely over it. The play was reviewed and the call was upheld. Arkansas led 1-0.
Kemp Alderman led off the bottom of the second with a solo home run into the Rebel bullpen off Arkansas left-handed starter Hagen Smith to tie the game 1-1.
Gaddis made it through the third inning unscathed, starting with a beautiful play by Gonzalez on a throw to first base to get Lazilli that was reviewed but confirmed. A ground out and a strikeout later, and the game moved on.
Alderman led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to left. But three straight swinging strikeouts by Rebel batters, and he was stranded at first.
Razorback Brady Slavens led off the fifth inning with a home run to deep center field to give Arkansas a 2-1 lead. Even with a one-out walk by Braydon Webb, Gaddis was able to keep the Rebels down just one run.
Right-hander Jack Washburn relieved Gaddis to start the sixth. A two-out walk, which proved to cause no damage, was Washburn's only blemish in the inning.
Arkansas brought in a new pitcher in the sixth as well, another left-hander, Evan Taylor. He proved to be as effective as Smith had been through two batters. But a Peyton Chatagnier single to left got something going for the Rebels. However, a Dunhurst strikeout ended the sixth with the Razorbacks still up 2-1.
After a leadoff double in the eighth from Cayden Wallace was reviewed and confirmed as the correct call, Jack Dougherty came in for Washburn. A Michael Turner RBI single got Wallace home, and it was a 3-1 lead for the Hogs. After the bases were loaded with one out, Dougherty got Slavens and Kendall Diggs to strike out.
In the top of the ninth, a ground out, line out, and strike out for Dougherty gave the Rebel offense one more chance in the bottom of the ninth. And they almost got it done.
Alderman sent one to right for a single to start an Ole Miss rally in the ninth. Arkansas immediately went to the bullpen for relief. Right-hander Brady Tygart came in to pitch, and two batters later the bases were loaded. Tygart was pulled for Zack Morris, the starter in Arkansas' 13-5 loss to Ole Miss two nights earlier.
Morris got it done this time. He got Hayden Leatherwood to strike out and TJ McCants to fly out. Bench singled to score Alderman from third. But a Jacob Gonzalez fly out to left ended the game.
Thursday's win-or-go-home game will air on ESPN2. The call can be heard through the Ole Miss Radio Network.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss baseball on Twitter at @OleMissBSB, on Facebook at Facebook.com/OleMissBaseball, on Instagram at Instagram.com/officialolemissbsb and on TikTok at @olemissbsb. Also, follow head coach Mike Bianco on Twitter at @CoachMikeBianco.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hagen Smith (7-2)
L: Gaddis, John (3-2)
S: Zack Morris (1)
Batting:
2B: Braydon Webb 1 ; Cayden Wallace 1
HR: Chris Lanzilli 1 ; Brady Slavens 1
RBI: Michael Turner 1 ; Chris Lanzilli 1 ; Brady Slavens 1
SH: Robert Moore 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cayden Wallace 1 ; Chris Lanzilli 1 ; Brady Slavens 1
Batting:
HR: Alderman, Kemp 1
RBI: Bench, Justin 1 ; Alderman, Kemp 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Alderman, Kemp 2
HBP: Chatagnier, Peyton 1 ; Dunhurst, Hayden 1
