FERGUSON'S THREE-RUN WALK-OFF HOME RUN GIVES OLE MISS 7-6 WIN OVER AUBURN
OXFORD, Miss. -- It was a night for home runs at Swayze Field on Friday, but none bigger than freshman Tim Ferguson's three-run walk-off home run that propelled Ole Miss (32-19, 13-12 SEC) to a 7-6 win over Auburn (26-24, 10-15 SEC) in the series opener.
Matt Smith and Michael Guerrero came up with back-to-back singles to open the inning before Ferguson came to the plate two batters later and hit the three-run shot to left center to secure the Rebel victory.
Ole Miss starter Lance Lynn struck out 11 batters on the night – becoming the first pitcher in Ole Miss history to notch more than 300 strikeouts for a career – but didn't pick up the win as he left the game with the Rebels trailing 6-2 in the seventh inning. Lynn worked 6.2 innings and allowed six runs – five earned – on eight hits with only one walk to go along with the 11 strikeouts. Lynn now holds 310 strikeouts for his career.
Jake Morgan (2-0) picked up the win as he worked the final 2.1 innings, striking out four and holding the Tigers hitless while the Rebels mounted their rally. Ole Miss scored one run in the seventh and one in the eighth before the three run ninth notched the win.
Bryan Woodall (0-2) suffered the loss as the Auburn closer blew his first save of the season. Woodall, who has notched 11 saves on the season, allowed three runs on four hits with no walks and a strikeout. Auburn starter Grant Dayton worked a season-long 7.2 innings and allowed four runs – three earned – on six hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
"I'm proud of the way we responded tonight," said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco. "We fell behind much like we did last week. They put the big innings together, as Bianucci and Morris came up with the big home runs.
"We'll all remember Ferguson's home run," Bianco said. "The thing that gets forgotten is Matt Smith with the big base hit, and then Guerrero - who hasn't played in about a month - to get another base hit off of one of the best closers in the conference."
Ole Miss scored in the first inning when Cody Overbeck hit a two-run shot to left field with two outs to give the Rebels a 2-0 lead. Fuller Smith scored on the play after reaching on a fielder's choice on a sac bunt attempt that saw Auburn miss the play at second on the lead runner. Smith then moved to second on a strike out – throw out double play at third on a double steal attempt before scoring on the Overbeck hit in the next at bat.
Auburn answered in the third, cutting the lead in half as Justin Hargett scored from second on a two-out double to left center from Trent Mummey. Hargett reached on a throwing error on a grounder to third before moving to second on a ground out to short.
The Tigers jumped into the lead in the fifth as Mike Bianucci came up with a three run home run with two outs to push Auburn out to a 4-2 lead on the Rebels. A walk and a single put two on for the Bianucci hit. Hunter Morris then hit another home run to right center to push the Tigers out to a 5-2 lead.
Auburn added to the lead in the seventh when Mummey scored from first on a high fly ball to left field from Morris that fell past the diving reach of Fuller Smith. Mummey reached on a fielding error at first on a bunt.
Ole Miss got a run back in the bottom half of the inning when Zach Miller hit a double to right field, scoring Matt Smith from first. Smith reached on a throwing error at third that pulled the Auburn first baseman off the bag. Fuller Smith hit a solo shot with two outs in the eighth to cut the lead to two at 6-4 in favor of the Tigers. Following the hit, Auburn went to its bullpen as Woodall replaced Dayton on the mound.
Ole Miss completed the rally in the ninth as Matt Smith and Michael Guerrero opened the inning with back-to-back singles before Ferguson came up with his game-winning hit.
Ole Miss and Auburn will return to action on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.
VANDERBILT OUTLASTS GEORGIA 13-7
NASHVILLE -- In the morning Dominic de la Osa graduated from Vanderbilt, at night he delivered a clutch two-run homer in the seventh inning to lead the Commodores to a 13-7 comeback win over Georgia Friday night in front of 3,200 fans at Hawkins Field.
The Commodores cut the Bulldogs Southeastern Conference lead to just two games and improved to 37-13 overall and 15-9 in league play. The Bulldogs fell to 31-17-1 and 17-7-1 in conference action.
VU held a 6-3 lead going into the seventh before the resilient Georgia club struck for four runs to take a 7-6 lead. David Macias led off the inning with a single and de la Osa then crushed UGA starter Trevor Holder's 0-1 pitch onto the batter's eye to dead center field to give the Commodores an 8-7 lead they would not relinquish. Pedro Alvarez was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on Ryan Flaherty's single through the left side. Feinberg faked a bunt attempt and singled to right to bring in Alvarez and Robin added a RBI grounder to score Flaherty to make it 10-7.
The Dores added three more runs in the eighth, two coming off a David Macias homer over the Green Monster in left. It was his seventh round-tripper of the year. De la Osa was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored on Alvarez' RBI single up the middle to make it 13-7.
"It (de la Osa¹s homerun) was the momentum changer at that particular time," said Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin after the game. "I didn¹t feel like our guys were deflated. We gave up some runs and had a tough seventh inning. We just came right back. When Macias got the two-strike hit and Dom hit one off the batters¹ eye, it broke the game open."
Freshman reliever Russell Brewer pitched 2.2 innings of two-hit shutout relief with a career high seven strikeouts and no walks to improve to 4-0 on the year.
Georgia took a 1-0 lead in the second on a sacrifice fly by catcher Joey Lewis.
VU responded with a five-run bottom half, with Macias notching a two-run double and de la Osa a two-run triple. He scored on a RBI groundout by Alvarez to make it 5-1.
Lewis' two-run homer in the fifth off of VU starter Mike Minor cut the lead to 5-3. Minor ended up giving up three runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings with five strikeouts and two walks and left the game with a 5-3 lead.
Steven Liddle's RBI single in the sixth made it 6-3.
Gordon Beckham's two-run single in the seventh cut the lead to 6-5. Rich Poythress' RBI single to right-center tied the game and Lyle Allen's RBI single to right gave the Bulldogs a 7-6 lead.
Macias had three hits and four RBI and de la Osa added two hits and four RBI to lead the Vanderbilt offensive attack.
"When you get eight RBIs from the one and two hole hitters, that's pretty good," stated Corbin.
Ryan Flaherty, Alex Feinberg and Steven Liddle each had two hits to help pace the 15 hit attack.
Rich Poythress and Lyle Allen led Georgia with four hits apiece.
Holder was tagged for 10 runs on 12 hits in six innings with two strikeouts and two walks to drop to 7-3 on the year.
The Commodores and Bulldogs will play the second game of the three game set tomorrow at 2 p.m. VU will send freshman right-hander Caleb Cotham to the hill, while UGA will throw junior right-hander Steven Dodson.
Cowgill, Carroll Power No. 22 UK to 5-3 Opening Win
KNOXVILLE -- Collin Cowgill and Sawyer Carroll each homered and Cowgill finished 3-for-4 with three-RBI, as the No. 22 Kentucky Wildcats utilized three runs in the top of the eighth inning to break open a 2-2 game, handing the Tennessee Volunteers a 5-3 loss in the series-opener, in front of 1,918 fans at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Cowgill's two run, bases-loaded single scored the go-ahead run in the eighth, part of his three-hit, three-RBI performance. The All-American outfielder, starting his first game in left-field since 2006 due to an injured hamstring, strolled to the plate in the eighth inning with the bases loaded and no out. Cowgill ripped 1-0 offering for a single through the left side, scoring Ryan Wilkes and Bryan Rose. Wilkes got the inning started with a double into the right-centerfield gap, his 11th of the season and Rose laid down a perfect bunt single to put Wilkes on third. After Carroll drew a walk to load the bags – Hernandez's first walk in 33.1 innings – Cowgill came through with the clutch hit screaming through the left side, giving UK a 4-2 advantage. Carroll, who joins Cowgill on nearly every National Player of the Year watch list, scored the fifth UK run on a wild pitch, scampering home from third.
Cowgill led the way with his 3-for-4 day, but UK got hits from every member of its starting lineup, with the exception of freshman shortstop Chris Wade. Sawyer Carroll hit his 13th home run of the season in the first inning, part of a two-run, 1-for-4 day. Cowgill belted his career-high 17th homer of the year, which marked a first at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, as his bomb to dead centerfield sailed over the 30-foot high batters eye behind the centerfield wall, labeled 404-feet from the plate.
Kentucky (36-14, 12-13 Southeastern Conference) got an outstanding outing from its Friday night starter, junior southpaw Chris Rusin. Rusin battled through a 1 hour and 15 minute rain delay, tossing 7.2 innings, allowing only four hits, three runs - one earned, striking out six. Brock Baber worked an inning, allowing one hit and striking out one and senior southpaw Andrew Albers picked up the save, his fourth of the year, getting the final out of the game via a looking strikeout. Albers' save marked his 12th career, moving him into sole possession of third place in the all-time Wildcat career record books. Lorhn Frazier (1990-93) owns the record with 15 saves, two ahead of Paul Morse's (1993-94) 13 career saves.
Tennessee (25-25, 11-14 SEC) starter Nick Hernandez took the loss, tossing seven innings, allowing eight hits and five runs, striking out nine. Ty'Relle Harris and Steve Crnkovich each tossed an inning to close out the game.
The series resumes on Saturday with a 1 p.m. ET first pitch. UK will send sophomore southpaw James Paxton (3-2, 3.32 ERA) to the bump to face off with UT ace lefty Brian Morgado (5-3, 3.88. Morgado ranks second in the SEC with 91 strikeouts in just 67.2 innings pitched. The game can be heard live on the Big Blue Sports Network (radio) with the Voice of UK Baseball, Neil Price calling the action. In Lexington fans can hear the game on WLAP 630-AM and in Louisville on WKJK 1080-AM.
The Wildcats struck early with a run in the first, taking a 1-0 lead. Carroll belted a 2-2, two-out offering over the right-centerfield fence for his 13th homer of the season.
Tennessee took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, taking advantage of a Wildcat defensive miscue. After Rusin struck out Kentrail Davis on three pitches, Yan Gomes drew a walk. Cody Brown hit a hard grounder into the hole, fielded by Chris Wade who threw a strike to Brian Spear at first base, but the ball slipped out of Spear's glove, allowing Gomes to scamper to third. Josh Liles ties the game with a double down the left-field line – the first UT hit of the night - scoring Gomes. After Jarred Frazier drew a walk, Jeff Lockwood hung a sacrifice fly into centerfield, scoring Brown.
After sitting through the rain delay, both teams got through the fifth inning unscathed. UK tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the sixth, getting Cowgill's 17th homer of the season. Cowgill crushed a 1-0 pitch from Hernandez with a vicious line-drive, sending the ball soaring over the batters eye in centerfield.
The Vols narrowed the UK lead to 5-3 with a run in the eighth inning, as P.J. Polk led off with a double off the wall in centerfield. After a groundout moved Polk to third, Gomes scored him with a sacrifice fly into centerfield.
TIGERS EXTEND WIN STREAK TO 10 WITH 15-6 VICTORY OVER MISSISSIPPI STATE
BATON ROUGE, La. -- No. 22 LSU exploded for 12 runs on 15 hits in the first three innings Friday evening as the Tigers defeated Mississippi State, 15-6, in Alex Box Stadium.
A paid attendance of 8,548 cheered the Tigers on to victory and enjoyed a special postgame fireworks display after Game 1 of the final regular-season series at "The Box."
LSU (33-16-1, 13-11-1) has won 10 straight games for the first time since 2001. LSU remained in first place in the SEC Western Division, one-half game ahead of Ole Miss and Alabama.
Mississippi State dropped to 20-30 and 7-17 in the SEC with Friday's loss.
The series continues Saturday at 3 p.m. CT. The contest will be televised by Fox Sports Net (Cable Ch. 38 in Baton Rouge) and carried by the LSU Sports Radio Network (WDGL 98.1 FM). Additionally, live video and audio may be accessed in the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net.
Every player in the Tigers' lineup collected at least one hit on the night. Outfielder Jared Mitchell had one of his best games of the season, amassing four hits, including his fifth homer on the year. The sophomore, who finished a triple shy of the cycle, scored a career-high four runs. Mitchell has homered in four of his last seven games.
"Mitchell has been playing well for a long time now," LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. "His confidence is growing now that he is back full-time with baseball. He's a good player and a great athlete. I was glad to see him have a big night."
Fellow outfielder Leon Landry enjoyed a three-hit night with a double and a stolen base. Matt Clark and Ryan Schimpf each blasted second-inning dingers.
Louis Coleman (4-0) was credited with the victory after hurling 3.1 scoreless innings in relief. The junior right-hander surrendered only two hits and struck out three. Chad Crosswhite (2-5) was charged with the loss as the junior worked 1.2 innings, giving up nine earned runs on 11 hits.
"Last year, Crosswhite was really tough on us," Mainieri added. "Tonight, we came out and really put a lot of pressure on early and things worked out. We got a lot of clutch hits. Everybody got big hits, and it was a great team effort."
The Tigers jumped on the Bulldogs in the first inning, scoring four runs on six hits to take an early 4-0 lead. With the bases loaded, Derek Helenihi knocked in two with a single to left-center field, and he scored on Clark's double to right-center. After a base hit by D.J. LeMahieu, Landry ripped a two-bagger of his own to score Clark.
LSU erupted for seven more runs as the Tigers launched three home runs in the second. Mitchell and Clark each connected on two-run dingers, and Schimpf hammered a three-run shot to give LSU a commanding 11-0 advantage.
The Bulldogs fought back with a three-run third to cut the deficit to 11-3. Ryan Powers notched an RBI double, and Nick Hardy launched a two-run dinger.
The teams exchanged runs in the bottom of the third and top of the fourth as LSU maintained a comfortable 12-4 advantage.
After the Bulldogs scored two runs in the fifth, LSU struck back with a run in the bottom of the frame. Blake Dean lined a double into the gap in right field to score Mitchell from first base, and the Tigers took a 13-6 lead.
Freshman Anthony Ranaudo struck out the side in the ninth to close out the game.
House Walk Off Home Run Lifts Razorbacks Over S.C.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Jacob House hit a 1-0 pitch into the visiting bleachers for a walk-off grand slam home run to lift the Arkansas baseball team to a 12-11 victory over the 13th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks at Baum Stadium on Friday night.
The critical Southeastern Conference win for Arkansas (29-20, 11-13 SEC) keeps Arkansas within a half game of qualifying for the Southeastern Conference Tournament. South Carolina (34-16, 13-12 SEC) suffers an agonizing loss but still remains in the SEC Tournament picture.
"That was big for us," Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. "We really needed that one and the guys kept chipping away and chipping away. I couldn't be more proud."
Chipping away at a 9-3 deficit, the Razorbacks made it an 11-8 game heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. Andy Wilkins, who had four hits in the game despite missing more than a month to an injury, led off the inning with a single through the right side. He would advance to second on a Brett Eibner walk putting runners at first and second with no outs. A strike out and fly out to left later and the Razorbacks were down to their last out with the top of the order coming to the plate. Chase Leavitt would keep the inning going by hitting a single into the hole between first and second base and beat out the throw on a close play.
With the bases loaded, Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn played the percentages and inserted House to pinch hit for Sean Jones who had been 2-5 in the game including his first home run of the season. Facing a right-handed pitcher, House, a left-handed hitter, launched a no doubter over the right-field wall and ended the contest with one pitch. The grand slam walk off is the first in recent memory for the Razorbacks and is the second grand slam of the year for an Arkansas batter.
House's grand slam may have been the game-winning hit, but Logan Forsythe was the driving force behind the Razorbacks' victory. Forsythe was perfect at the plate with four hits in four at bats with two home runs, three runs scored and three RBI. He also worked a walk out of the South Carolina pitching. Forsythe's day extended his RBI game streak to eight games and over that stretch he has accumulated 16 hits, 10 runs, 18 RBI and six home runs.
The day started off well for the Razorbacks as Sean Jones and Forsythe opened the bottom of the first inning with back-to-back home runs to give the Hogs a 2-0 lead. The two teams would trade runs through the opening innings until the fifth when an error on a would-be double play ball led to a five-run inning for the Gamecocks. The instance was the second time in the game that Arkansas failed to turn a double play on what should have been an inning-ending play and the miscues led to seven South Carolina runs.
The Razorbacks were a hitting machine on Friday night as the home squad pounded out 19 hits, the second highest total of the year and most since March 5 when they defeated South Dakota State. Six Razorbacks had multiple hits in the ballgame with Forsythe and Wilkins each knocking out four. Leavitt contributed three hits, all singles, and Jones, Casey Coon and Ben Tschepikow each had two hits each. The remaining Razorback hits came from Ryan Cisterna and the big blast by House.
Sophomore Evan Cox would be credited with his third win of the season and first in SEC play. Cox entered the game in the eighth inning and held the Gamecocks to two scoreless innings of one-hit baseball. He was the fourth Razorback pitcher on the day following in the footsteps of Justin Wells, Shaun Seibert and Kendall Korbal.
The Razorbacks continue their series with South Carolina on Saturday afternoon when the two squads square off at 2:05 p.m. For more information regarding Razorback baseball or University of Arkansas athletics please visit www.hogwired.com.
Howell's Two-Run Double Pushes Tide Past No. 22 Florida, 7-6
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama sophomore Del Howell delivered a pinch-hit, two run double in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Crimson Tide to an improbable 7-6 comeback win over No. 22 Florida in the Southeastern Conference series opener Friday night at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.
Howell, who was 0 for 3 as a pinch-hitter and batting for the first time since April 23, laced a two-run double over the head of Florida right fielder Riley Cooper to score Josh Rutledge and Alex Avila with the tying and winning runs as the Crimson Tide took game one of the series.
"I was looking for something to drive in the gap or hit in the hole, fortunately I hit it over his head," Howell said. "It was change-up. This is a really good feeling."
Howell's game-winner was even more dramatic after the Crimson Tide had squandered a two-out lead in the top of the inning.
With two outs and leading 5-4, Alabama closer Austin Graham issued back-to-back walks to pinch-hitter Bryson Barber and Cooper, before striking out pinch-hitter Dustin Bamberg for what appeared to be the final out, but the ball got past catcher Mike Sharp and Bamberg was safe at first on the wild pitch to load the bases. UF left fielder Avery Barnes gave the Gators a 6-5 lead with a two-strike single to right to score Barber and Cooper.
Alabama (29-22, 13-12 SEC) responded with a ninth-inning rally of its own to earn its first last at-bat win of the season. Rutledge stroked a one-out single to right field off Clint Franklin, the first of three Gator pitchers in the ninth inning. Alex Avila delivered a two-out single to left off left-hander Tony Davis to put runners and first and second with two outs.
The Tide inserted junior Ryan Rhoden to pinch-hit for Alex Kubal, but Florida called on right-hander Josh Edmondson out of the pen and Coach Jim Wells elected to go with the left-hand hitting Howell, who ripped a first-pitch change up to right field to win the game.
Junior Austin Graham (4-1), who allowed an inherited runner to score in the eighth inning and gave up two runs of his own in the ninth, picked up the win for Alabama. He allowed two runs and one hit in two innings, with five strikeouts and two walks. The two walks were the first allowed by Graham since a start at LSU on April 5. He had not walked a batter in 25 innings out of the bullpen this season until the ninth inning.
The Crimson Tide had taken a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning when junior Kent Matthes doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on junior Kyle Moore's ground out.
Florida (29-19, 13-12 SEC) had tied the game in the top of the eighth inning when pinch-runner Jonathan Piggott scored on Josh Adams sacrifice fly to center field.
Avila slammed a two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to put the Tide in front 4-3. Freshman Ross Wilson reached on a two-out base hit to left field and scored on Avila's team-leading 13th home run of the season.
The Tide scored first with an unearned run in the bottom of the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. Jake Smith and Josh Rutledge collected back-to-back one-out singles to put runners at first and second. Ross Wilson then reached on an error by third baseman Josh Adams and Smith scored from second on the play to give Tide the lead.
Florida scored three runs with two outs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 3-1 lead. Matt den Dekker started the rally as he reached on a one-out infield single to second base. den Dekker was then picked off first base, but a balk was called by umpire Ray Miller, allowing him to advance to second base.
After Clayton Pisani struck out, Cooper blooped a single to right to score den Dekker with the tying run. Munroe followed with a two-run home run to left to put the Gators in front 3-1. It was Munroe's third home run of the season.
Alabama got one run back in the bottom of the fifth and had another runner thrown out at home plate as the Tide reduced the Gators lead to 3-2. Tyler Odle drew a lead off walk and Smith followed with a double off the wall in left field to put runners at second and third with no outs.
Rutledge lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to score Odle from third base as Smith also moved up on the play. Wilson was hit by pitch to put runners on the corners with one out. Wilson advanced to second as Smith was thrown out at home on the back end of an attempted double steal. Alex Avila then popped out to end the inning.
Alabama and Florida meet in game two of this three-game series on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. The Tide will send junior right-hander Austin Hyatt (3-3, 4.84 ERA) to the mound, while Florida will counter with junior left-hander Stephen Locke (3-2, 3.28 ERA). The Crimson Tide will honor its four seniors Matt Bentley, Brian Clark, Josh Copeland and Will Stroup in a pregame ceremony at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday.