What Hunter Elliott and Mike Bianco Said After Ole Miss' Saturday Loss to Kentucky

In this story:
No. 10 Ole Miss fell to Kentucky 9-2 on Saturday to even its weekend series with the Wildcats.
Hunter Elliott got the start on the hill for the Rebels, his first in SEC action. The Rebel freshman struggled with command at times, but he left the game in a 2-2 tie before Kentucky was able to blow the game open late.
Ole Miss' only two runs came in the first inning. From that point on, the Rebel bats were mostly silent.
The Rebels also announced after the game that Jack Washburn will start on the hill for the Rebels on Sunday. Here's what Hunter Elliott and head coach Mike Bianco had to say after the game.
Hunter Elliott
Hunter Elliott
On his first SEC start:
"It was exciting to get my first SEC start. I just didn't attack the zone early and got behind a lot of hitters early. I didn't have my best command today. I went out and competed, and that's all I had today."
On settling in after the first two innings:
"I did settle in. I got a better feel for my changeup and was on cruise control there for a little bit. Made an error on a bunt and another error on a pickoff. Just mental mistakes that I can't make."
On first road start:
"It was fun. As a starting pitcher, you settle into the game, and it's tougher on the road. I feel like I did a good job of that. It wasn't too hostile of an environment, so it wasn't a big deal that it was on the road."
Mike Bianco
Mike Bianco
On Hunter Elliott's performance:
"I don't think he pitched really well. He competed hard, which we knew he would do, but I don't think that was his best stuff. I think he got behind in the count, and we didn't help him. It was a bad day for us all the way around."
On struggles at the plate after first inning:
"After that, it was just a good mix of fastball, slider, changeup and even a big curveball. We just couldn't get any good swings off of him. We were just really uncomfortable for the rest of the day."
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Rebels? Click Here.
Follow The Grove Report On Facebook and Twitter.

John Macon Gillespie has a journalism background spanning 10 years and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from the University of Mississippi in 2020 and 2022, respectively. His experience in the field includes work on the Ole Miss beat for nine years and high school sports coverage in the state of Mississippi for the Calhoun County Journal. He is currently a columnist for Ole Miss On SI and a high school journalism teacher in North Mississippi.
Follow JMakeGillespie