Ole Miss Takes Down Arkansas State 2-1 in Season’s First Midweek Game

Photo by Joshua McCoy/Ole Miss Athletics

Ole Miss picked up a win in the first midweek game of the season with a 2-1 victory over the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

Arkansas State followed their big weekend series win over No. 7 Louisville by taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first off of a bases loaded RBI ground out to second. Senior Sike Orvis responded by hitting his second home run of the year  into the visitors bullpen out in right field in the bottom of the first inning.

“Proud of the way we competed today,” coach Mike Bianco said.

Sophomore southpaw Evan Anderson settled in after a shaky first inning, giving up a run on a hit by pitch and two walks. Anderson then set down the Red Wolves in order in the next three frames with only one batter reached base. The lefty worked five complete innings giving up one run on a hit with two walks and striking out four Red Wolves in the game.

“Anderson did well today on the mound not wanting to give up after a rocky first inning and coming back and not giving up a hit in the next four innings,” Bianco said.

In the bottom of the fourth, Ole Miss scratched together a run off of an RBI single by Austin Knight that scored Orvis. Orvis ended the day with two runs on two hits in four trips to the plate with a RBI.

Junior Jacob Waguespack relieved Anderson, pitching three scoreless innings for the Rebels. Freshman Will Stokes picked up his first career save with a perfect ninth. Arkansas State’s starter Chandler Hawkins worked five innings, giving up two runs on four hits. Hawkins had six strikeouts in the loss.

Ole Miss (5-2) returns to the field this Friday when they travel to Orlando to face UCF.

Adam Brown is HottyToddy.com sports editor and can be reached at adam.brown@hottytoddy.com.