Rebels Notch First SEC Series Win vs. South Carolina: Three Takeaways
The Ole Miss Rebels claimed the first two games of their opening action of SEC play this weekend, claiming the series win over the No. 20 South Carolina Gamecocks despite dropping Game 3 on Sunday.
Friday and Saturday, the Rebels pitching staff handled business, the offense was advantageous, and at-bats seemed to build on top of each other. Here are three takeaways from the action this weekend.
Ole Miss Athletics
Battle of Arms
After a rocky start that saw the Gamecocks take a 2-0 lead with an RBI double, Gunnar Dennis battled on Friday night. Even after hitting four Carolina batters, Dennis evaded danger, finishing with seven strikeouts. While he couldn't always find the grip on his curveball, when it was on, it was on.
Mitch Murrell was the first out of the pen and earned the win by tossing a scoreless sixth inning. Mason Nichols was also sharp collecting two strikeouts in his inning of relief. Nichols continues to look increasingly confident and appears to be one of the best "stoppers" in the country.
Connor Spencer shut the door on Friday to earn his fourth save of the season. The bullpen arms continue to dominate and prove that they are the strength of this team.
On Saturday, Liam Doyle pitched a gem, looking like a legitimate ace in his first SEC outing. He had ten strikeouts and continued to dazzle even after giving up two long balls.
Doyle's outing should give head coach Mike Bianco even more confidence in his Friday and Saturday night starters. The move to add him to the starting rotation looks to be a good one.
The Fish Show
Andrew Fischer had a series at the plate. On Friday, he went 0-for-2 but had two walks and scored a big run. His ability to work good at-bats is impressive, and even when isn't at his best, he finds ways to contribute.
On Saturday, Fischer put on a show, going 3-for-5 with three bombs and five RBIs. Exit velocities were off the charts for Fischer, and he gave the Rebels a spark that led to an eight-run eighth inning to secure the series win.
Rebs Can't Complete The Sweep
While the series win was a great way to start the conference slate, Sunday left a sour taste in the mouths of the fans. When you have the chance to sweep the weekend over a conference opponent, you have to get the job done.
Grayson Saunier struggled and was unlucky with weak contact that found a hole or dropped. The offense was also stuck in neutral all afternoon, and again couldn't find that big hit when the bases were loaded.
For the Rebels to make some noise in the SEC, they will need to take advantage of sweep opportunities when they present themselves.