Southern Miss fans walked into Trustmark Park talking smack and left with heads hung low, kicking imaginary rocks in the asphalt parking lot, mumbling about trips to Omaha (yeah, they've been recently) and SEC welfare checks--whatever that means.
Oh boy, we heard it all.
Hey Ole Miss, do you know how to get to Atlanta? How 'bout Omaha?
Hey Old Piss, how's that Ackbar Ku Klux Klan gay shit ha yeah bitch whooo doin'?
Hey University of Siss-bitch boob took urrh jarbz
While our team seemingly never has a map to Omaha, last night we surely didn't need a map around the basepaths as the Rebels put double digits on the Golden Eagles to the tune of 11 to 6 in Pearl.
Early on, the Rebels looked like a dominant team, scoring two runs in the top of the first. Cue the calliope music though, because in the bottom of the first Ole Miss gave up four runs with a combination of wild pitches, a balk, walks, global warming, a hit batter and that LiBeRal Dan Jones sTeaLn ur TrAdShunS.
It was an ugly 1.5 innings to start the game, though both teams ended up tied at four after the Rebels tacked on two in the top of the second.
Fortnuately, Matt Crouse found his groove, settled down and held USM scoreless through the next three innings. Eric Callendar would inherit a jam in the bottom of the fifth but was able to pitch his way out of it. Callendar would then the win by pitching four innings while giving up two runs. It was Callendar's mastery on the mound that would allow Ole Miss' line-up to go to work at the dish.
Zach Miller went 4-for-5 with five RBI and Alex Yarbrough seemed to be on base all game, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and one walk. Miller and Yarbrough also made fantastic plays defensively, as it was likely USM was testing the ability of the fun-sized 3B and the freshman 2B.
The crowds were both pretty good and attentative to the game. The loudest roar, however, would first came from Ole Miss fans crowded around 19 inch TVs watching the Ole Miss basketball team capture victory over Texas Tech in double overtime. The PA crackled throughout the game, keeping the fans abreast of the progress of the game. USM fans cheered for Texas Tech leads, principally because they're idiots.
The second loudest roar ofthe night would come from the early USM lead. As a Hattiesburg resident (my wife and I were hoodwinked, I say), I haven't seen so many Hattiesburgers so jubilant since the new Mexican buffet opened on Hardy Street. It's interesting as a Rebel to see this because, honestly, they hate our guts while we almost forget they're down there.
So today, I'm prepared to hear the excuses. Yep, Ole Miss gets a bunch of money from the "$EC". Yep, USM HAS been to Omaha more recently than the Rebels. Yep, you do have a new coach who is replacing some talent.
But none of that changes the scoreboard. Ole Miss 11 Southern Miss 6. We'll see you in Oxford.