LIVE UPDATES: Ole Miss Closes Regular Season vs. Texas A&M
OXFORD, Miss. -- Ole Miss baseball hosts Texas A&M at Swayze Field this weekend, and the Rebels are winners of their last seven games, six of which have come in SEC play.
Ole Miss is fresh off a road sweep of LSU last weekend, and it canceled its midweek game with Arkansas State this week before hosting the Aggies. The Rebels and Tigers had to finish game one of their series on Saturday after rain forced a suspension of play on Friday. Ole Miss captured wins by scores of 5-3, 11-1 and 8-5.
With the winning streak, Ole Miss is back in the midst of the NCAA Tournament conversation and will qualify for the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Alabama, next week. It looks to improve its postseason stock this weekend.
Check back here during the game for updates from the series opener in Oxford.
Pregame
Here is Ole Miss' starting lineup for Thursday's game:
1. Justin Bench -- 3B
2. Jacob Gonzalez -- SS
3. Tim Elko -- 1B
4. Kevin Graham -- LF
5. Kemp Alderman -- DH
6. Hayden Leatherwood -- RF
7. T.J. McCants -- CF
8. Peyton Chatagnier -- 2B
9. Hayden Dunhurst -- C
RHP Dylan DeLucia
First Inning
Texas A&M hits a two-run home run to take a 2-0 lead.
The Aggies get a one-out double to push their inning total to three hits, and they follow that with an RBI single to take a 3-0 lead.
Another double puts runners at second and third with two outs.
Groundout to Gonzalez ends the frame.
MID 1: Texas A&M 3, Ole Miss 0
The Rebels go three-up, three-down in the bottom half of the inning.
END 1: Texas A&M 3, Ole Miss 0
Second Inning
DeLucia walks three, and Hayden Leatherwood misplays a ball in right. A&M stretches its lead to 5-0.
Bianco pulls DeLucia after another walk loads the bases. Jack Dougherty enters the game.
Dougherty thought he had strike three, but it's ruled a ball. Next pitch is a single to left that scores two more.
A groundout ends the frame, but A&M extends its lead.
MID 2: Texas A&M 7, Ole Miss 0
Rebels load the bases with two outs, and Hayden Dunhurst clears them with a double. A&M's lead cut to 7-3.
Jacob Gonzalez grounds out to first to end the frame and strand two runners.
END 2: Texas A&M 7, Ole Miss 3
Third Inning
Dougherty works around a two-out double to keep the Aggies off the board in the top half.
MID 3: Texas A&M 7, Ole Miss 3
The Rebels threatened in the bottom half, but a close play at first ends that threat with no runs pushed across.
END 3: Texas A&M 7, Ole Miss 3
Fourth Inning
Dougherty works around a single and leaves that Aggie stranded at second base.
MID 4: Texas A&M 7, Ole Miss 3
A two-out single from Dunhurst followed by a triple from Justin Bench gives the Rebels another run. Pitching change coming for A&M as its lead is cut to 7-4.
The Rebels get two more aboard, but an Elko strikeout leaves them stranded.
END 4: Texas A&M 7, Ole Miss 4
Fifth Inning
The bases are loaded for A&M with one out, and Bianco goes to the pen. Mason Nichols enters the game.
Nichols strikes out two batters, both with full counts, and A&M fails to push across a run.
MID 5: Texas A&M 7, Ole Miss 4
The Rebels leave a runner at first to end the frame.
END 5: Texas A&M 7, Ole Miss 4
Sixth Inning
Nichols strands a runner at first and holds the Aggies scoreless.
MID 6: Texas A&M 7, Ole Miss 4
The Aggies make a pitching change after the first two Rebels reach in the bottom of the inning.
Hayden Dunhurst thrown out at second on a ball in the dirt, but Chatagnier advances to third. Bench drives him home with a single to make it 7-5.
Elko strikes out to end the frame.
END 6: Texas A&M 7, Ole Miss 5
Seventh Inning
Nichols gives up a two-out walk, but he leaves him stranded.
MID 7: Texas A&M 7, Ole Miss 5
Nothing going for the Rebels in the bottom half.
END 7: Texas A&M 7, Ole Miss 5
Eighth Inning
Bianco going to the pen after Nichols gives up a leadoff single. John Gaddis coming in.
A&M gets a run on a sac fly, and it's 8-5.
MID 8: Texas A&M 8, Ole Miss 5
A&M changing pitchers after Dunhurst gets a two-out single. Aggies changing pitchers again after a walk to Justin Bench.
Ole Miss leaves runners at first and second, and we go to the ninth.
END 8: Texas A&M 8, Ole Miss 5
Ninth Inning
A&M hits a solo shot off of the batter's eye, and it's 9-5.
It then adds another solo shot to right, and it's 10-5.
Some drama on the field after the two home runs. Words exchanged, and Gaddis ejected for throwing behind an Aggie. No one in the press box is entirely sure of what was said or done.
It appears that Bianco was ejected as well during the incident.
MID 9: Texas A&M 10, Ole Miss 5
The Rebels fail to push any runs across in the bottom half.
FINAL: Texas A&M 10, Ole Miss 5
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