The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, March 3
Minneapolis, Minn.
3 PM
Ole Miss
vs
Maryland
Baseball Heads to Minnesota to Compete In Cambria College Classic
3/2/2023 | Baseball
Rebels Set to Face No. 18 Maryland, Minnesota, and Nebraska
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#4 OLE MISS (7-2, 0-0 SEC) at CAMBRIA COLLEGE CLASSIC March 3-5, 2023 Minneapolis, Minn. U.S. Bank Stadium (73,000) |
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| Ole Miss Notes • Maryland Notes • Minnesota Notes • Nebraska Notes • SEC Notes | ||||||||
| Friday, March 3 vs. #18 Maryland 3 p.m. CT  |
Saturday, March 4 vs. Minnesota 7 p.m. CT |
Sunday, March 5 vs. Nebraska 1:30 p.m. CT |
| PROJECTED STARTERS Ole Miss: RHP Jack Dougherty 0-1, 4.26 ERA, 8 K, 2 BB Maryland: TBA 0-0, 0.00 ERA, - K, - BB |
PROJECTED STARTERS Ole Miss: RHP Grayson Saunier 1-0, 1.35 ERA, 9 K, 7 BB Minnesota: RHP Sam Malec 0-2, 6.52 ERA, 10 K, 1 BB |
PROJECTED STARTERS Ole Miss: LHP Xavier Rivas 2-0, 7.88 ERA, 13 K, 8 BB Nebraska: LHP Caleb Clark 0-0, 9.82 ERA, 2 K, 4 BB |
| Watch • Listen • Live Stats | Watch • Listen • Live Stats | Watch • Listen • Live Stats |
LEADING OFF
- Ole Miss split a midweek series against Louisiana Tech on Tuesday/Wednesday, dropping the first game 6-5 and winning the series finale 4-3
- Last weekend, the Rebels took two-out-of-three from then-ranked No. 13 Maryland, dropping the first game of the series before winning on Saturday and Sunday
- Calvin Harris had a huge day on Sunday against the Terrapins, posting a career-high eight RBI in what was the first four-hit game and multi-home run game in his career
- Harris became the first Rebel to drive in eight runs since Thomas Dillard in 2019
- Ole Miss hit six home runs in their win in the series finale against Maryland, becoming one of just three teams in the Mike Bianco era to accomplish that feat in a single game
- The Rebels are ranked third in the SEC in batting average (.352), slugging percentage (.628), hits (103), home runs (20), and total bases (184)
- Jacob Gonzalez's hot start has him ranked in the top-15 in the SEC in batting average, on-base percentage, hits, and RBI
- 11 Rebel freshmen have made their debut so far in 2023. Will Furniss and Judd Utermark each hit home runs in their first at-bats, Brayden Jones has two saves in four appearances, and JT Quinn is 2-0 with the most total innings pitched on the team
- The Rebels moved up or stayed level in all of this week's major polls, giving them a No. 4 ranking for the third-straight week
HOW TO WATCH
All three games this weekend will be streamed on B1G+. Ole Miss fans' most cost-effective option will be to subscribe to a monthly school pass for Minnesota for $9.95. Fans can visit bigtenplus.com or download the B1G+ app and sign up. With Minnesota being the host school, their school pass will allow fans to see the games against Minnesota, Maryland and Nebraska.
GOING STREAKING
Jacob Gonzalez has recorded a hit and reached base at least once in every game so far in 2023, riding a nine-game hitting streak and a nine-game on-base streak into this weekend. Gonzalez had reached base in 24 of his first 43 plate appearances and recorded his first four-hit game of the season on Tuesday against Louisiana Tech.
Anthony Calarco has reached base in each of his first eight games in a Rebel uniform, taking an eight-game on-base streak into the weekend.
SO HOT RIGHT NOW
Jacob Gonzalez's hot start has him ranked in the top-15 in the SEC in batting average, on-base percentage, hits, and RBI. The junior is tied for sixth in hits with 15, is ninth in on-base percentage at .558, and tied for 12th in RBI with 14. His team leading .441 batting average is the 15th-highest in the conference.
SUNDAY DRIVE
Calvin Harris had a career day on Sunday against No. 13 Maryland, posting a career-high eight RBI in what was the first four-hit game and multi-home run game in his time as a Rebel. Harris became the first Rebel to drive in eight runs since Thomas Dillard in 2019 and is one of only three players to drive in eight runs in a game since at least 1997 (Sikes Orvis, 2015). Harris now leads the team in batting average, hits, runs scored, and sacrifice flies.
NUMBER OF THE BEAST
Ole Miss hit six home runs in Sunday's victory over Maryland, becoming one of just three teams in the Mike Bianco era to accomplish that feat in a single game. The Rebels did it last season against Alabama and in 2019 against UAPB. Before 2019, the Rebels had not put together a six-home run game since March 2, 1999.
BASH BROS
The Rebels hit 18 home runs through their first seven games, the most by an Ole Miss squad since at least 1997. They are currently averaging 2.57 long balls per game, trailing only South Carolina in the SEC. Ole Miss is ranked sixth in the NCAA in home runs per game and seventh in total home runs.
CAN'T WIN IF YOU DON'T SCORE
The Rebels scored 78 runs through their first seven games, the third-highest total by an Ole Miss team since at least 1997. Last season, the Rebels scored 81 runs in their first seven games and in 2008 they scored 91 runs. Ole Miss is ranked third in the SEC and 11th in the NCAA in scoring, averaging 11.1 runs per game.
POLLING ALONG
Ole Miss moved up or stayed level in all of week two's major polls, with their highest ranking coming at No. 4 from D1Baseball. They were also slotted at No. 5 by the NCBWA and USA Today, No. 6 by Perfect Game, No. 8 by Baseball America, and No. 15 by Collegiate Baseball.
STUDENT BECOMES THE TEACHER
With 10 more victories, head coach Mike Bianco will pass the legendary Skip Bertman for second-most wins by an SEC head coach. Bianco currently has 861 wins as the head coach of the Rebels, trailing just behind Bertman's 870 wins as the head coach of LSU from 1984-2001. Bianco played for Bertman at LSU from 1988-89 and coached on his staff from 1993-97.
OFF AND RUNNING
The Rebel offense came out hot on Opening Weekend, scoring 35 total runs over their first three games. That mark was the highest for an Opening Weekend series since 2008 when they scored 45 runs against Minnesota.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW
11 Rebel freshmen have made their debut so far in 2023: Will Furniss, Brayden Jones, Cole Ketchum, Mason Morris, Will Plattner, JT Quinn, Grayson Saunier, Tim Simay, Sam Tookoian, Judd Utermark, and Jordan Vera.
Saunier made his collegiate debut on Opening Weekend getting the start for game two against Delaware. He allowed just one hit over four innings while striking out five batters. Quinn made his first career start against Arkansas State and has allowed just four earned runs over his first 6.1 innings. Furniss and Utermark each hit a home run in their first career at-bats. Jones, Ketchum, and Tookoian each posted scoreless outings in their debuts out of the bullpen.
HOME SWEET HOME
Ole Miss has now won its home opener in 21 of 23 seasons during the Mike Bianco era and has won the opening home series of the season in 20 of Bianco's 23 campaigns. The Rebels have lost a home opening series just once, losing two-of-three to UCF in 2021.
SEC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
West (First Place Votes)
1. LSU (12)
2. Texas A&M (1)
3. Arkansas
4. Ole Miss (1)
5. Alabama
6. Auburn
7. Mississippi State
East (First Place Votes)
1. Tennessee (12)
2. Florida (2)
3. Vanderbilt
4. South Carolina
5. Georgia
6. Kentucky
7. Missouri
COMING HOME
Jacob Gonzalez began his junior season with a chance at becoming the Ole Miss all-time career runs scored leader by the end of the year. Gonzalez has scored 144 runs in his career as a Rebel, needing to score just 55 more to pass Brad Henderson for the top spot. Henderson scored 198 runs over the course of 203 career games.
PACK 'EM IN
2023's home opener against Delaware saw 11,242 fans pack the stands at Swayze Field, the second-highest Opening Day attendance number in program history. It was also the 18th highest single-game attendance number in the history of Swayze Field.
POSITIONS OF POWER
Ole Miss had 12 total players ranked over all of D1Baseball's Position Power Rankings to open the 2023 season. Three players (Gonzalez, Harris, and Elliott) were ranked in the top-10 at their position.
The Rebels were the only team in the nation to have at least one player ranked at each position and could field an entire starting nine with three outfielders, two starting pitchers, and two relief pitchers all ranked by the publication.
Rebels in the D1Baseball Position Power Rankings
- Jacob Gonzalez – No. 2 ranked shortstop
- Calvin Harris – No. 5 ranked catcher
- Hunter Elliott – No. 7 ranked starting pitcher
- Kemp Alderman – No. 11 ranked outfielder
- Anthony Calarco – No. 14 ranked first baseman
- Ethan Groff – No. 14 ranked outfielder
- Jack Dougherty – No. 15 ranked relief pitcher
- Mason Nichols – No. 20 ranked relief pitcher
- Peyton Chatagnier – No. 27 ranked second baseman
- Ethan Lege – No. 32 ranked third baseman
- Grayson Saunier – No. 57 ranked starting pitcher
- TJ McCants – No. 90 ranked outfielder
GOING, GOING, GONZO
Junior Jacob Gonzalez came into the 2023 season as one of the most decorated athletes during the preseason. Gonzalez was named a Preseason All-American by five different major publications (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, D1Baseball, NCBWA, and Perfect Game) while also being the only Rebel represented on the Preseason All-SEC list.
Gonzalez also became the first Rebel since 2008 to be named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List twice in his career, earning the honor in both 2022 and 2023. D1Baseball named him the No. 3 MLB prospect in all of college baseball while MLB Pipeline ranked him No. 5 in their same list.
ON THE HUNT
Hunter Elliott was named a Preseason All-American by four major publications (Collegiate Baseball, D1Baseball, NCBWA, and Perfect Game) after having a breakout season his freshman year. Perfect Game ranked him No. 31 in their Top-100 Sophomores list and D1Baseball ranked him No. 18 in their Top 2024 MLB Draft SEC Prospects list. He was also named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List along with teammate Jacob Gonzalez.
QUITE THE CAREER
Jacob Gonzalez comes into his junior season as the SEC active career leader in runs scored with 140 over two seasons of play. He is ranked third in home runs (30), sixth in RBI (107), eighth in hits (159), ninth in on-base percentage (.424), and 12th in batting average (.315).
Despite having pitched only one season in his career so far, Hunter Elliott will start 2023 ranked third in SEC active career ERA with a 2.70. He is just one strikeout shy of being in the top-15 for active career strikeouts.
MISSISSIPPI MADE
Of the 39 players on Ole Miss' roster in 2023, 12 of them hail from the state of Mississippi. The next closest state if Florida with five followed by Tennessee and California with three. In all, 17 states are represented on the Rebels' roster.
TOUGH CROWD
Ole Miss will be playing against 10 opponents this season who participated in the 2022 NCAA Baseball Tournament. Just three of those opponents are of the non-conference variety, with seven of their 10 conference opponents having made it to the big dance last year. Ole Miss was directly responsible for eliminating two of those opponents (Southern Miss and Arkansas) from postseason play in 2022.
REBELS ON THE BIG STAGE
The 2022 National Champions will appear on national television nine times throughout the 2023 season. Ole Miss will appear on SEC Network six times, ESPNU twice, and ESPN2 once during their 2023 campaign. Their national television debut will also be their first SEC matchup of the year as they take on Vanderbilt at 6:00 p.m. in Nashville on ESPNU. The Rebels will be on ESPN2 on April 29 when they host LSU for game two of a three-game set.
National TV Games
March 16 at Vanderbilt (6:00 p.m. CT) – ESPNU
March 18 at Vanderbilt (11:00 a.m. CT) – SEC Network
April 1 at Texas A&M (7:00 p.m. CT) – SEC Network
April 8 vs. Arkansas (2:00 p.m. CT) – SEC Network
April 15 at Mississippi State (3:00 p.m. CT) – SEC Network
April 22 vs. LSU (2:00 p.m. CT) – ESPN2
May 4 at Missouri (6:00 p.m. CT) – SEC Network
May 11 vs. Auburn (7:00 p.m. CT) – ESPNU
May 13 vs. Auburn (2:00 p.m. CT) – SEC Network
ON DRAFT
The Rebels had seven players selected in last year's 2022 MLB Draft, their most in a draft since 2019. Derek Diamond, Hayden Dunhurst, and Dylan DeLucia were all selected in the sixth round of the draft. Diamond was picked by the Pittsburgh Pirates, Dunhurst was picked by the Kansas City Royals, and DeLucia was picked by the Cleveland Guardians.
Brandon Johnson was selected in the ninth round by the Kansas City Royals, Tim Elko was selected in the 10th round by the Chicago White Sox, Kevin Graham was selected in the 14th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Justin Bench was taken in the 17th round by the San Francisco Giants.
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.
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