Early Offense, McMillan’s Strong Start Help Baseball to 7-4 Win at No. 7 Ole Miss - University of Alabama Athletics
Alabama scored all seven runs across the first five frames to clinch a 7-4 win over seventh-ranked Ole Miss on Friday night at Oxford-University Stadium.
rolltide.com
OXFORD, Miss. – Alabama scored all seven runs across the first five frames to clinch a 7-4 win over seventh-ranked Ole Miss on Friday night at Oxford-University Stadium. The victory moves the Crimson Tide to 19-12 on the season and 5-5 in Southeastern Conference play.
Alabama got on the board with one in the first, but Ole Miss was able to counter for two in home half and had Tide starter Garrett McMillan on the ropes. The Alabama offense took the lead right back with two runs in the third and added two apiece in the fourth and fifth innings to provide McMillan with all the cushion he would need on the way to the win.
McMillan (3-2) battled back from that tough first inning to give the Tide a season-high tying 7.0 frames by night's end. The junior tossed 40 pitches in the first but stayed the course and finished with 72 over the final 6.0 innings for a career-high 112 pitches in his start. He allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks with seven punchouts before turning it over to the bullpen. Brock Guffey contributed 1.1 relief frames with Dylan Ray using two pitches to get the final two outs.
All nine Crimson Tide starters reached base safely on Friday night with seven of the nine recording at least one hit. Jim Jarvis and William Hamiter each contributed three-hit efforts with Hamiter adding an RBI and Jarvis totaling a team-high three runs scored. Drew Williamson was tops in RBI with three as part of his 1-for-3 night that included a double.
From Head Coach Brad Bohannon
"I'm really proud of our team, that was one of our best efforts of the year. We had guys on in the top of the first, had a chance to get a big hit, and we didn't do it. We come out and go E5, walk, walk – I'm sure some of our fans started rolling their eyes – but Garrett (McMillan) got out of it and really settled in. He gave us an outstanding effort, and then Brock (Guffey) and Dylan (Ray) did great out of the pen. We had a lot of offensive production tonight, too. This was a good win for us, going on the road and beating a great Ole Miss team on Friday night in the first game of the series, so I'm really excited for our guys."How It Happened
- T1 | The Tide loaded the bases up for Drew Williamson with the senior grounding out to first to allow the runner from third to score. (1-0, Alabama)
- B1 | An error and a pair of walks loaded them up before a two-run single to right put the Rebels in front. (2-1, Ole Miss)
- T3 | Jim Jarvis singled to start the inning and was followed by a Tommy Seidl walk. The pair moved into scoring position on a groundout before Williamson dropped a ball between three defenders for a two-run double. (3-2, Alabama)
- T4 | Bryce Eblin led things off with a double and moved to third on a 6-3 groundout from Dominic Tamez. Another groundout from Caden Rose, this one to the right side, allowed Eblin to cross to add to the Tide advantage. After a walk by Jarvis and a single from Seidl, William Hamiter delivered another run with a single to center. (5-2, Alabama)
- T5 | Williamson led things off with a walk before Pinckney put runners on the corners with a single. After an Ole Miss pitching change, Williamson came across on a 6-3 groundout from Eblin. Tamez was next with the Tide catcher singling to left to add one more. (7-2, Alabama)
- B9 | A two-run home run by Kevin Graham pulled the Rebels to within three. (7-4, Alabama)
