The Ole Miss Rebels were put to the test on Sunday night against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles as it came down to the final out in a 9-8 nail-biter for the Rebels to advance to the regional championship.
Ole Miss sophomore and Oxford native Houston Roth came into the game to get the final out.
Tennessee Tech made a run in the bottom of the ninth scoring three runs in the inning with the winning run at first, but Roth was able to strike out Alex Junior and that clinched the win.
Ole Miss (48-15) jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first with two quick runs. Grae Kessinger kicked the inning off with a double to right center field. He then comes into score on a stolen base. Nick Fortes was the Rebels second run of the frame on a line drive to left field off the bat of Will Golsan.
The Rebels starter RHP Brady Feigl was rolling along through the first two innings of work. His day came to a close in the fifth inning after he worked 4.2 allowing 4 runs on 8 hits and struck out 8 batters.
Tennessee Tech jumped on Feigl in the third, with back-to-back home runs by Nick Osborne and Breenon Kaleiwahea that knotted the game up 2-2.
The Golden Eagles hurler RHP Marcus Evey settled down on the bump after a shaky first inning. He then settled into the game and kept the Rebel batters off balance.
The Rebels regained the lead in the fifth on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Thomas Dillard. Ryan Olenek came home to score. Golsan brought home Fortes on an infield single back to the pitcher. Ole Miss took a 4-2 lead into the home half of the fifth.
Tennessee Tech scratched across two runs in the bottom of the frame that tied the game back up at 4-4.
Ole Miss brought Will Ethridge into the game after a single that loaded the bases for TTU with two outs in the fifth. Ethridge induced a ground ball that ended the Golden Eagles scoring attack.
The Rebels took the lead in the sixth and Osborne belts his second home run of the game to tie the game up at 5-5.
Parker Caracci took the hill for Ole Miss in the bottom of the seventh with runners at first and second with nobody out. Caracci came in and got out of a jam with a strikeout, fly out, walk and a groundout that closed the frame.
Kessinger with the go-ahead two-out RBI double down the left field line that plated Anthony Servideo from first base that gave the Rebels a 6-5 advantage.
Golsan delivered the game-clinching run that scored Dillard on a single. Golsan finished the game with 3 RBI’s. Golsan came around to score on a walk. Ole Miss took a 9-5 led into the final three outs.
Tennessee Tech dropped down into the loser’s bracket and will face Missouri State this evening.
Adam Brown is the sports editor of HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at adam.brown@hottytoddy.com.
