Rebels Dominate High Point in Game 2, Snap Losing Streak With Run-Rule Win
OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss Rebels finally returned to the win column on Saturday night as they evened the weekend series against the High Point Panthers with a 12-2 final score at Swayze Field in seven innings.
Gunnar Dennis drew the start on the hill for Ole Miss, and after a scoreless top half of the first inning, the Rebel offense went to work in a hurry. Ole Miss pushed across four runs in the first inning alone on an Andrew Fischer RBI triple, Ethan Lege sac fly and Will Furniss two-run home run.
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The Panthers were able to cut the lead to 4-2 after pushing across a run apiece in the third and fifth innings, but the Rebels responded with a two-run home run from first baseman Jackson Ross in the bottom of the fifth to extend the advantage back to four.
The Rebels would push across three runs total in the fifth and five in the sixth to set up the potential for a run-rule win, a feat they achieved with a scoreless top of the seventh inning. Ross finished the night with two home runs, and Luke Hill also added one of his own in the sixth.
On the hill, Dennis worked 4.2 innings, dancing around six hits and allowing two runs (one earned). What worked for him, however, was his success in the zone, walking only two batters and striking out eight. He was relieved in the fifth inning by Josh Mallitz who collected the final outs of the game, going 2.1 innings on the hill.
With the win, Ole Miss improves to 3-4 overall on the season, and it will look to return to the .500 mark on Sunday afternoon in the conclusion of its three-game series vs. the Panthers. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. CT, and RHP Grayson Saunier is projected to get the start on the mound for the Rebels.