SEC Friday night baseball.
If those words don't get you a little pumped sitting in your office or cubicle at work, then make sure you take the time to watch the Rebels and Wildcats play tonight.
Kentucky and Ole Miss combine for seven losses on the year, and a trip to Lexington will be the second weekend in a row that will test the Rebels. Last weekend, #8 Louisville notched a series victory in Oxford, winning two of three.
This weekend marks the start of a regular season conference title defense for Ole Miss. Our predictions and analysis on that jump.
FRIDAY, 5:30 P.M.
UK - Logan Darnell, Jr., LHP
OM - Drew Pomeranz, Jr., LHP
Pomeranz is one of the best pitchers in the SEC this season, and Darnell is no cupcake either. Again, this is what SEC Friday night baseball is all about. Two great pitchers getting their respective teams to the sixth or seventh inning giving up less than three runs. Darnell has an ERA hovering around 2.00 and has the ability to go six plus innings. The Rebels need to work the count against him to wear him down early and get into the UK bullpen. The Wildcats may also have a similar strategy, but I don't see Pomeranz getting fatigued as early now that we are well into this season. Look for Tanner Mathis and David Phillips to lead the way in a close victory.
SATURDAY, NOON
UK - Taylor Rogers, Fr., LHP
OM - Aaron Barrett, Sr., RHP
Barrett has been another dependable starting pitching option for Ole Miss. He boasts a 4-0 record and relatively shut down Louisville last weekend. The Rebels will be facing its second LHP in as many days, so our hitters may be a little more accustomed to seeing pitches delivered from that side at an away stadium by then. UK's bats will wake up against Ole Miss on Saturday when they get into our bullpen after a quality start from Barrett.
SUNDAY, NOON
UK - Alex Meyer, Soph., RHP
OM - Matt Tracy, Jr., LHP
Tracy has to get better if he is going to be our Sunday starter. This is not the weekend for that to happen. Facing a team that hits .306 on the road will be difficult, but Alex Meyer will not have it easy either. Ole Miss has played a tough schedule against good pitching so far, and I think Sunday it will show. Kentucky has had a relatively easy schedule up to this point and has a deceivingly good record. The Rebel bats will be wide open, running on all cylinders and win a "shoot-out."
Final predictions
Friday: Ole Miss 5 Kentucky 3
Saturday: Kentucky 6 Ole Miss 2
Sunday: Ole Miss 9 Kentucky 6