Weekend Wrap-Up: Ole Miss takes the series over #13 Maryland

A titanic blast from the Pride of Peosta, Calvin Harris, put the Terps to bed on Sunday in a deciding rubber match between Ole Miss and Maryland, 18-8.

The Ole Miss Rebels started its season off last weekend with a dominant sweep over a lowly Delaware team followed by a mid-week victory over a pesky Arkansas State team. Ranked No. 4 and 4-0, the Rebs were set to take on No. 13 Maryland in a great early season test entering the weekend.

Friday

Rather than shifting the opening weekend starters up a day, Coach Bianco opted to roll with veteran Jack Dougherty for the Friday start in place of the injured Hunter Elliott. He was tasked to duel with 2022 2nd Team All-American Jason Savacool for Maryland.

Dougherty surrendered three runs in four innings pitched while Savacool went seven innings, only giving up two unearned runs.

Maryland put the game away in the 7th inning with five runs, including a grand slam by DH Ian Petrutz.

In a rather uneventful contest, Anthony Calarco and Calvin Harris picked up two hits a piece while Jacob Gonzalez and Will Furniss were the only other Rebels to register a hit.

Maryland 9 Ole Miss 2

Saturday

Freshman Grayson Saunier took the mound for his second straight Saturday start, hoping to build on his promising first start. Unfortunately, the control was not there for Saunier as he walked three and hit three more batters, tossing 72 pitches in just 2 ²⁄₃ innings. In his other start, Saunier went 67 pitches deep, so it could be a pitch limit he is working under for right now.

Sam Tookoian took the mound and gave up three runs, bringing the score to 5-4 in favor of Maryland upon his departure. The Rebels were going to have to win this one at the plate.

A bases loaded walk to Garrett Wood followed by a two-run double off the bat of Jacob Gonzalez gave Ole Miss a 7-6 lead in the 7th inning.

Mason Nichols shut down the Maryland offense in the final two frames as Ole Miss tacked on five more runs, including an Anthony Calarco two-run home run.

Ole Miss 12 Maryland 6

Sunday

With a chance to win the series against a Top-15 team, Xavier Rivas toed the rubber, possibly as an audition to be the Friday starter if Hunter Elliott were to miss extended time.

A lead off homer by Jacob Gonzalez got things started as Ole Miss would score early and often in this one. After a 2-run home run for Maryland in the third, the Rebs would answer with seven runs of its own. Peyton Chatagnier, Calvin Harris and TJ McCants all homered in the inning, putting the Rebs up 8-2.

Rivas subsequently surrendered two more two-run home runs before being pulled with two outs in the top of the fourth inning, still leading 8-6.

Ole Miss would get back two of those runs in the fourth with RBIs by Harris and Kemp Alderman before Maryland would hit ANOTHER two run homer in the fifth inning. With the score sitting at 11-8, the Terps loaded the bases in the top of the seventh but were denied any runs by the Rebel bullpen.

Then the gosh dang floodgates opened.

Seven, count ‘em, SEVEN runs in the bottom half of the frame capped off by a walk-off grand slam by Calvin Harris. Send them home sad.

Ole Miss 18 Maryland 8

Season Stat Leaderboard

Average

1. Calvin Harris - .444
2. TJ McCants- .400
3. Kemp Alderman- .393

RBI

1. Jacob Gonzalez- 14
2. Kemp Alderman- 11

Ethan Groff - 11

Calvin Harris - 11

Home Runs

1.Peyton Chatagnier - 3

Kemp Alderman - 3

3. 4 tied with 2

Strikeouts

1. Xavier Rivas - 13
2. Mitch Murrell - 11
3. Sam Tookoian - 10