The University of Mississippi Athletics
Baseball Practice Report: Fall Ball Shutout
10/18/2023 | Baseball
Rebel Pitching Staff Leads Way in 18-0 Win Over Jacksonville State
OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss baseball team cruised to an 18-0 win over Jacksonville State on Saturday in its first of two exhibition matchups this fall.
Mike Bianco's Rebels will have three intrasquad scrimmages this week—Thursday at 2:30 p.m., Friday at 2:15 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. Their next contest against outside competition is the following Saturday, Oct. 28, at 1 p.m. CT against Memphis. All fall scrimmages and exhibitions are free and open to the public at Swayze Field.
Season tickets are on sale now with renewals running through the end of October. Visit OleMissTix.com to secure your spot at Swayze for the 2024 season.
SHUTOUT AT SWAYZE
It's always a good day when the opposing team's line score reads zeroes. The Rebel pitching staff combined to throw 14 scoreless innings against the Gamecocks—the first shutout for the Rebels since the NCAA allowed outside competition for fall ball in 2018—leaving Bianco and his staff pleased with the team's pitching performance.
The shoutout was certainly a positive result, but it wasn't a day of total dominance by the Rebel arms. Ole Miss pitchers spread nine hits and six walks, striking out 16 along the way. While Bianco would've liked to see less traffic on the basepaths, it was also affirming to see his pitchers successfully work out of trouble.
"We continue to harp about pounding the strike zone, executing pitches. Of the 14 innings, only two of the innings were 1-2-3 innings, so good and bad," Bianco said. "Bad in the sense that we had some traffic on the bases. The good is we were able to pitch out of that. So I think that's a good sign. Overall, outstanding for our guys on the mound. Happy with the way they performed."
MISSION: INCOMPLETE
When Ethan Groff and Ethan Lege joined Ole Miss from the transfer portal last offseason, the mission was clear: Have a great season, get back to Omaha and graduate to the professional ranks. So when last season's road ended early and pro opportunities arose, Groff and Lege each made the decision to come back and complete the mission.
If the fall thus far has been any indication, both are locked in on that goal. Lege has been one of the team's most productive bats, ranking third on the team in batting average (.371), home runs and RBI. Groff is not far behind at .343 and is third on the team with 10 runs scored. This spring, the Rebels will lean on not only their production, but also their leadership and experience as two of the team's most crucial returning players.
"Both guys had opportunities to sign pro contracts this summer but wanted to come back," Bianco said. "Don't want to put words in their mouths but felt the sentiment was the mission was incomplete that they wanted to come here and put a good year together and get back to Omaha. Their experience, their leadership means so much to a team that doesn't have a ton of guys returning. They're really, really good players to boot."
COOL HAND LUKE
Ole Miss has been spoiled at the shortstop position over the years, most recently with pro prospects like Grae Kessinger, Anthony Servideo and Jacob Gonzalez holding down the top spot in the infield. Bianco and his staff had the tall task this offseason of continuing that line after Gonzalez was drafted in the first round by the Chicago White Sox. Ole Miss also had signed one of the top high school prospects at the position, Cooper Pratt, but he too was lost to the draft.
When the dust settled, the Rebels went to the transfer portal to fill the slot, adding Luke Hill out of Arizona State. An All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention honoree from a year ago, Hill has lived up to his billing this fall, hitting .346 and ranking third on the team with a .486 on-base percentage, including going 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored against Jacksonville State.
"He's been terrific and everything we hoped he'd be," Bianco said. "From a defensive side, super athletic. Has great range, has a tremendous arm. On the offensive side, he's a guy that will hit the ball to all fields. For a guy who is not a big player, not a big bodied guy like a Jacob Gonzalez, he's got power. He will run the ball out of the yard to all fields. But probably my biggest takeaway is what a tough out he is, where he seems to handle all the pitches—fastball and offspeed pitches—he can hit the ball to all fields and can hit for power, so he's the total package offensively."
Mike Bianco's Rebels will have three intrasquad scrimmages this week—Thursday at 2:30 p.m., Friday at 2:15 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. Their next contest against outside competition is the following Saturday, Oct. 28, at 1 p.m. CT against Memphis. All fall scrimmages and exhibitions are free and open to the public at Swayze Field.
Season tickets are on sale now with renewals running through the end of October. Visit OleMissTix.com to secure your spot at Swayze for the 2024 season.
SHUTOUT AT SWAYZE
It's always a good day when the opposing team's line score reads zeroes. The Rebel pitching staff combined to throw 14 scoreless innings against the Gamecocks—the first shutout for the Rebels since the NCAA allowed outside competition for fall ball in 2018—leaving Bianco and his staff pleased with the team's pitching performance.
The shoutout was certainly a positive result, but it wasn't a day of total dominance by the Rebel arms. Ole Miss pitchers spread nine hits and six walks, striking out 16 along the way. While Bianco would've liked to see less traffic on the basepaths, it was also affirming to see his pitchers successfully work out of trouble.
"We continue to harp about pounding the strike zone, executing pitches. Of the 14 innings, only two of the innings were 1-2-3 innings, so good and bad," Bianco said. "Bad in the sense that we had some traffic on the bases. The good is we were able to pitch out of that. So I think that's a good sign. Overall, outstanding for our guys on the mound. Happy with the way they performed."
MISSION: INCOMPLETE
When Ethan Groff and Ethan Lege joined Ole Miss from the transfer portal last offseason, the mission was clear: Have a great season, get back to Omaha and graduate to the professional ranks. So when last season's road ended early and pro opportunities arose, Groff and Lege each made the decision to come back and complete the mission.
If the fall thus far has been any indication, both are locked in on that goal. Lege has been one of the team's most productive bats, ranking third on the team in batting average (.371), home runs and RBI. Groff is not far behind at .343 and is third on the team with 10 runs scored. This spring, the Rebels will lean on not only their production, but also their leadership and experience as two of the team's most crucial returning players.
"Both guys had opportunities to sign pro contracts this summer but wanted to come back," Bianco said. "Don't want to put words in their mouths but felt the sentiment was the mission was incomplete that they wanted to come here and put a good year together and get back to Omaha. Their experience, their leadership means so much to a team that doesn't have a ton of guys returning. They're really, really good players to boot."
COOL HAND LUKE
Ole Miss has been spoiled at the shortstop position over the years, most recently with pro prospects like Grae Kessinger, Anthony Servideo and Jacob Gonzalez holding down the top spot in the infield. Bianco and his staff had the tall task this offseason of continuing that line after Gonzalez was drafted in the first round by the Chicago White Sox. Ole Miss also had signed one of the top high school prospects at the position, Cooper Pratt, but he too was lost to the draft.
When the dust settled, the Rebels went to the transfer portal to fill the slot, adding Luke Hill out of Arizona State. An All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention honoree from a year ago, Hill has lived up to his billing this fall, hitting .346 and ranking third on the team with a .486 on-base percentage, including going 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored against Jacksonville State.
"He's been terrific and everything we hoped he'd be," Bianco said. "From a defensive side, super athletic. Has great range, has a tremendous arm. On the offensive side, he's a guy that will hit the ball to all fields. For a guy who is not a big player, not a big bodied guy like a Jacob Gonzalez, he's got power. He will run the ball out of the yard to all fields. But probably my biggest takeaway is what a tough out he is, where he seems to handle all the pitches—fastball and offspeed pitches—he can hit the ball to all fields and can hit for power, so he's the total package offensively."
Players Mentioned
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