Right Field Review - Week 3

Last Week: 4-1

Overall: 11-1

Rank:
Baseball America: 7 (8 prev.)
Collegiate Baseball: 11 (16 prev.)
Perfect Game: 12 (13 prev.)

Results:
Feb. 26: vs Memphis - L 4-3
Feb. 27: vs Arkansas-Pine Bluff - W 7-2
March 1-3: at Florida International - W 11-9, W 8-3, W 8-1

TUES Memphis 4, Ole Miss 3
Six errors doomed the Rebels as they suffered their first loss of the 2013 season at the hands of a scrappy Memphis club. With the game knotted at 3 in the top of the 8th, a single and two Andrew Mistone errors loaded the bases before an errant throw from SS Austin Anderson allowed Memphis to push the winning run across. The defensive lapses undermined valiant relief efforts from Matt Denny (3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER), Tanner Bailey (1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R) and bad luck loser Scott Weathersby (1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER), who combined for 0 earned runs over 6 innings.

WED Ole Miss 7, Arkansas Pine-Bluff 2
The Diamond Rebs bounced back from their first loss with a solid, albeit less than dominating, performance against UAPB. Freshman Brady Bramlett delivered five quality innings in his first start, fanning 7 and walking none to pick up the win. After a quiet couple of innings, the Ole Miss bats came alive in a 4-run 3rd highlighted by an Anderson (1/4, 1 RBI) triple and 2-run homer from Stuart Turner (2/3, 2 RBi, 1 HR). UAPB grabbed their 2 runs in the 9th with three straight doubles off of Scott Ashford (0 IP, 3 H, 2 R), who failed to record an out before being relieved by Aaron Greenwood (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R).

FRI Ole Miss 11, Florida International 9
The Rebels allowed their highest run total of the season but supplemented it with their second largest offensive output as they grabbed a high-scoring series opener. Ole Miss scored its 11 runs off of 16 hits, with 7 of those coming off the bats of Anderson (4/5, 3 RBI) and Turner (3/5, 3 RBI). A determined FIU squad hung in, blasting 4 home runs and repeatedly answering Rebel runs with scores of their own. A 2-run single by Anderson in the top of the 9th proved to be the difference, as the Panthers belted two solo shots in the bottom of the frame before Brett Huber (1 IP, 1 H, 1 R) extinguished the rally. Bobby Wahl (5.1 IP, 9 H, 4 R) struggled for a second straight outing but rode his teammates' strong night at the plate to improve to 3-0 on the year.

SAT Ole Miss 8, Florida International 3
After a big Friday night, the FIU offense hit the wall Saturday against Mike Mayers (7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 6 SO, 0 BB), who turned in a rock-solid performance to earn his first win of the season. The Rebels plated 3 runs in the first two innings and never looked back, scoring again in the 4th, 5th and 6th. The only runs on Mayers came off of a 2-run shot in the 5th. Tanner Mathis (2/3, 1 RBI) extended a 10-game hit streak while Turner continued heating up, going 2-for-3 with an RBI.

SUN Ole Miss 8, Florida International 1
What started as a pitchers duel quickly turned into another Rebel route as Ole Miss claimed yet another series sweep, marking the first time since 2004 they have swept their first three weekend opponents. Two quick outs to start the top of the 4th inning threatened to extend a scoreless stalemate, but a walk followed by a Turner (3/4, 3 RBI) triple and Mistone (2/4, 2 RBI) double gave the Rebels a 2-0 lead they would not surrender. Sam Smith filled in nicely for an injured Chris Ellis, allowing 6 hits and 1 run over 6 innings. After an abysmal start to 2013, Sikes Orvis (1/3) rounded off a nice weekend with a standup triple in the 6th.

Numbers Game
- Mistone's 3 errors against Memphis equaled his total for the entire 2012 season. Five of the 6 errors in his Ole Miss career have come in 2 games.
- Preston Overbey, who's first middle infield experience as a Rebel came in practice the day before the Tennessee-Martin game, has been flawless in his 8 games at second base, fielding at a 1.000 clip and turning 7 double plays.
- Stuart Turner absolutely went off in Miami, going 8-for-13 with 7 RBIs on the weekend. He's now batting .450 with 17 RBIs and 2 HRs on the year, leading the team in all three categories.

Links:
Conference standings
Season stats
Schedule

Past the Foul Pole
(Per the requests of the Cup community, I've added this section to keep up with shenanigans in right field. If you know of any interesting goings-ons, humorous anecdotes, or amusing hate, pass it on in the comment section every week and I'll try to include it. With only 2 freezing cold midweek games, this one will be pretty light)

- Tuesday night, Memphis's right fielder was coaxed into admitting that his significant other was, indeed, less attractive than that of his teammate in center field.
- Dylan Chavez and a drunken friend were seen being escorted out of the student section by security on the Friday of the Rhode Island series. Even when he's not on the team it seems Chavez finds a way to be pulled from the game early.

Tweet of the Week:

Stuart Turner's favorite commandment: Thou Shalt Not Steal.

— Rebel Nation (@OMRebelNation) February 24, 2013

Solo Cup Racin'!
TUES..... Blue Cup
WED...... Red Cup!

Season Tally:
Blue Cup: 5
Red Cup: 4
Yellow Cup: 0

This Week:
March 5-6: vs Southeastern Louisiana
March 8-10: vs Lipscomb