Rebels Defeat Furman

Behind David Parkinson’s 8.0 scoreless innings of one-hit baseball, No. 14 Ole Miss produced a shutout for the second time this week in a 2-0 victory over Furman. The Rebel starting pitcher faced the minimum Friday night, keeping the Paladins (8-5) hitless through the first seven innings.
Parkinson (3-1) struck out a career-high nine hitters and did not issue a walk during his longest outing as a Rebel. The Henrico, Virginia, native had a no hitter intact until a leadoff single to center in the eighth inning, but the Furman baserunner was wiped off the bases on a groundball double play. Will Stokes completed the shutout for Ole Miss (9-5), earning his fourth save of the season and 14th of his career to move into sole possession of sixth on the Ole Miss all-time saves list.
At the plate, sophomore Ryan Olenek matched his career high with three of the Rebels’ six hits. Tate Blackman added an RBI single, while Will Golsan and Grae Kessinger scored the two Ole Miss runs. The Rebels recorded all six hits off highly-touted prospect Will Gaddis (1-2). The Furman starter lasted 7.0 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) and tallying six strikeouts.
Olenek was the first to get the bats going for the Rebels with a single to right field in the bottom of the first. The night didn’t stop there for the center fielder as he put the bat to work with a double in the bottom of the third to bring in Ole Miss’ first run of the game with the help of an error by the Paladins. With the hit-and-run on, Golsan motored around the bases from first in what appeared would put two runners in scoring position; however, Olenek’s liner went under the right fielder’s glove and rolled to the wall, allowing Golsan to cross the plate.
In his fourth start of the season, Parkinson started the night with a strikeout in the first, two in the second and built from there to finish with his total of nine. He hit the leadoff batter to start the fourth inning, but catcher Cooper Johnson threw out the runner on a failed hit-and-run attempt. Parkinson cruised from there, retiring the next 11 batters he faced.
Ole Miss doubled its lead with a run in the fifth. Kessinger walked before back-to-back base hits by Olenek and Blackman scored the freshman to make it a 2-0 game. Colby Bortles took one for the team on his next at-bat, loading the bases and giving the Rebels a chance to blow the game wide open. However, a groundout got Furman out of the frame trailing by only two.
Parkinson’s no hitter was broken up in the top of the eighth when Furman first baseman Brandon Elmy singled to center. Despite the no-no out of the question, the southpaw completed the inning by retiring the next two hitters. He finished the eighth by forcing a 5-4-3 double play to cap his scoreless outing and help Ole Miss maintain the two-run advantage.
Stokes entered the game in at the top of the ninth and quickly found himself with two runners on and no outs. However, the Ole Miss closer persevered with the help of the Rebels infield. After Stokes recorded a strikeout on a failed bunt attempt by Furman, Bortles snagged a liner at third and caught the runner at second off the bag. Rocketing the ball back to second, Blackman covered the bag to turn the double play and preserve the shutout.
Ole Miss will look to clinch the series tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. as Brady Feigl takes the hill to square off against the Paladins. Game two of the weekend will be broadcast on SECN+ and can be heard on the Ole Miss IMG Sports Network.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports