Sixth Inning Dooms Rebels in 6-1 Loss to No. 2 Texas A&M

Kicking off a series against the No. 2 team in the country, No. 6 Ole Miss could not overcome a five-run sixth inning by the opposition as Texas A&M claimed a 6-1 win. The setback was the first series-opening loss in the past seven Southeastern Conference series for the Rebels (39-15, 17-11).

Sophomore Will Golsan continued his hot hitting, going 2-for-4 to increase his hitting streak to 12 games. Junior Colby Bortles hit his seventh home run of the season, while classmate J.B. Woodman added his 12th double of 2016.

Rebel ace Brady Bramlett (7-3) suffered his first loss in seven starts. The redshirt junior allowed four runs on six hits in 5.1 innings. Freshman Andy Pagnozzi had another impressive relief outing, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings and retiring eight of the 10 batters he faced.

Starting pitcher Brigham Hill (7-1) allowed just one run on four hits in 7.0 innings of work to earn the victory. J.B. Moss and Jonathan Moroney led the Aggies (40-12, 19-9 SEC) at the plate with three hits apiece. Maroney and Hunter Melton each knocked in a pair of runs, while Nick Choruby tallied two hits and two runs.

The Aggies struck first with a run in the opening frame. Two singles and a sacrifice bunt put two runners in scoring position for cleanup hitter Melton, who grounded out to first to knock in a run. However, that’s all Texas A&M would get as Bramlett’s three consecutive outs limited the Aggies to a one-run inning. Texas A&M’s lead didn’t last long thanks to Bortles. With two outs in the second, the Ole Miss third basemen sent a solo shot over the left-center field wall to square the game at one run apiece.

After allowing the first two hits of the game, Bramlett went into cruise control. The Rebel ace retired 14 of the next 15 batters, including 11 in a row to keep the Aggies off the bases. Meanwhile, Hill limited Ole Miss to four hits during that stretch and stranded a Rebel at second base three times. The game was pitcher’s duel through five inning of play, tied at 1-1.

Texas A&M broke the game open with five runs in the sixth. The Aggies used six hits, including two doubles, to take a 6-1 lead. With two runners on base, Pagnozzi entered the game and got the Rebels out of the inning by forcing back-to-back groundouts, but the damage was done with the home team creating a five-run cushion.

Pagnozzi finished the game and kept Texas A&M from increasing its lead. However, behind their own arms, the Aggies prevented an Ole Miss comeback to take game one, 6-1.

Ole Miss will look to even the series tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. CT. Sophomore left-hander David Parkinson will start for the Rebels, squaring off against Texas A&M sophomore Turner Larkins. The game will be broadcast on SECN+ and can also be heard on the Ole Miss IMG Sports Network.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports