Weekend Wrap-up: Ole Miss baseball sweeps Delaware

Is it too soon to warn everyone don’t let the Rebs get hot again?

The opening weekend for the defending National Champion Rebels (no it will never get old) saw Coach Bianco’s group pick up where it left off. There were plenty of new faces making big impacts on the weekend.

Friday

Opening day saw the return of the legend himself, Tim Elko, as he threw out the ceremonial first pitch. A legend in the making, Hunter Elliott threw out the actual first pitch as he looks to prove that his phenomenal freshman season was no fluke.

All Elliot did was strike out the side to begin the game on his way to nine total for the game in 5 innings pitched. He did give up 2 runs but he will take the 1-0 start on the season.

Calvin Harris got things going in the second with the first hit on the season. Newbies Ethan Lege and Anthony Calarco followed with hits to put Ole Miss on the board 1-0. All Bianco team member Peyton Chatagnier hammered his first home run of the season and the Rebs were off and running early.

TJ McCants, Will Furniss and Ethan Groff all homered in the eighth inning to cap the scoring on Friday night.

Kemp Alderman, Anthony Calarco, Peyton Chatagnier and TJ McCants all finished with two hits on the day while Ethan Groff had 3 RBI and Chatagnier led the way with 4. JT Quinn, Mitch Murrell and Matt Parenteau all made scoreless debuts out of the bullpen.

Ole Miss wins 11-2

Saturday

True freshman Grayson Saunier made his college debut as the #2 starter for coach Mike Bianco and for a debut, he did not disappoint. His control was sporadic as he issued 4 walks, but he got out of every jam he put himself in by only allowing 1 hit, in his final inning of play. He was credited with the win, going 4 innings with 5 strikeouts.

Calvin Harris notched the first hit of the game for the second straight game, driving in Ethan Groff who walked and stole second. Calarco knocked Harris in for the second straight game as the Rebs ended the first inning, up 3-0.

Groff stole second, again, setting up Jacob Gonzalez for his first RBI on the season. Coach Bianco subbed Judd Utermark in for Anthony Calarco during the bottom of the 7th and all he did was hit a 3 run bomb to put Ole Miss up 8-0.

Peyton Chatagnier was the only multi-hit performer in the contest while Utermark and Garrett Wood combined for 5 RBI as the Rebs put up 10 runs in the contest. Sam Tookoian, Jackson Kimbrell and Jack Doughtery all made scoreless debuts out of the bullpen, with Dougherty picking up a rare save in a mercy-rule game.

Ole Miss wins 10-0

Sunday

Transfer lefty Xavier Rivas made his Rebel debut striking out two in the first inning. Would you believe it if I told you Calvin Harris was involved in first inning scoring again? This time he hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Ethan Lege who reached on a hit-by-pitch.

The Rebels put this one out of reach early as Jacob Gonzalez hit a grand slam in the bottom of the second, followed by a Kemp Alderman two run shot. Calvin Harris scored again bringing the Ole Miss lead to 8-0 after just two innings of play.

Gonzalez, Lege, Alderman and Harris all finished with multiple hits while Gonzalez had an impressive 7 RBI followed by Alderman and Harris finishing with 2 each.

Xavier Rivas notched the victory with 8 strikeouts in 4 ¹⁄₃ innings pitched. Tommy Henniger and Jordan Vera made their debuts out of the bullpen, giving up a combined 3 runs while striking out four in 2 ²⁄₃ innings.

Season Stat Leaderboard

Average

1. Peyton Chatagnier - .625
2. Kemp Alderman - .455
3. Calvin Harris - .400

TJ McCants- .400

RBI

1. Jacob Gonzalez- 8
2. Peyton Chatagnier - 5

Ethan Groff - 5

Home Runs

1. Peyton Chatagnier - 2
2. Six tied with 1

Strikeouts

1. Hunter Elliott - 9
2. Xavier Rivas - 8
3. Grayson Saunier - 5

Jack Dougherty - 5