Blackman Leads No. 13 Ole Miss Over No. 18 Coastal Carolina

Tate Blackman doubled twice and recorded three RBI as No. 13 Ole Miss continued its business at the Chanticleer Classic with an 8-2 victory over No. 18 Coastal Carolina, the host of the tournament. For the second straight day, the Rebels (9-1) put together a well-rounded game away from Swayze Field, earning their fourth consecutive victory.

A key to the Rebels’ success was getting the leadoff hitter on base. Seven times, the Ole Miss leadoff hitter reached base and in five of those innings, the leadoff Rebel came around to score. Blackman returned to form with a 3-for-5 day, a team-high three RBI and his fifth multi-hit game of the season. Errol Robinson and Holt Perdzock chipped in with two hits apiece as Ole Miss totaled 11 as a team.

On the mound, the Rebel arms combined to strike out 10 Chanticleers. Ole Miss starter Chad Smith (1-1) earned his first win as a Rebel, allowing just two runs over 5.0 innings. David Parkinson and Brady Feigl pitched out of the bullpen, combining to pitch four scoreless innings.

Coastal Carolina (5-5) got multiple hits out of Connor Owings, Michael Paez and G.K. Young. Facing the Chanticleer pitcher with the lowest ERA on the team in Tyler Poole (2-1), Ole Miss was able to collect six runs (three earned) off the CCU starter.

For the fifth time this season, the Rebels scored runs in the opening frame. Robinson reached on an error to lead off the game before Will Golsan doubled off the left field wall. With two runners in scoring position, J.B. Woodman advanced each runner 90 feet on a sacrifice fly to deep right that plated Robinson. Two batters later, a blooper by Blackman scored another Rebel, and the sophomore used his speed to get to second for a double. Continuing to use his wheels, Blackman advance to third on wild pitch and crossed the plate on the errant throw by the catcher. Coastal Carolina countered with a run of its own in the first, but Ole Miss held a 3-1 lead after the first inning of play.

Ole Miss increased the margin back to three with an additional run in the top of the third. Golsan walked to begin the inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With two outs and a runner in scoring position, Blackman came through once again. His base hit up the middle allowed Golsan to race home, making it a 4-1 contest.

In the fifth, the Chanticleers cut into the Rebels’ lead, but Smith limited the damage. With runners on the corners and only one out, the right hander struck out Young. CCU scored on the next at-bat with a base hit to left field, but a groundout to second base ended the inning and kept Ole Miss out in front, 4-2.

The Rebels doubled their lead in the sixth. A pair of walks and stolen base by Perdock gave Ole Miss runners on the corners, forcing Coastal Carolina to go to the bullpen. Cameron Dishon executed a perfect suicide squeeze to score Perdzock, and Robinson added a RBI single to increase the margin to four.

The Rebels added insurance runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to remain on top, 8-2. Henri Lartigue and Blackman knocked in the runs to give the Rebels more cushion.

Ole Miss will wrap up its weekend at the Chanticleer Classic with a matchup against the University of Cincinnati tomorrow morning, March 6. First pitch is set for 10 a.m. CT tomorrow afternoon as Sean Johnson takes the hill for Ole Miss. Fans can listen to all of the action on the Ole Miss IMG Sports Network as Eli Savoie and Keith Kessinger will have the call.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports