No. 4 Ole Miss Takes Care of Alcorn State 11-1

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

No. 4 Ole Miss used a big middle inning with a two-four-run offensive display to defeat Alcorn State 11-1 (eight innings) on Tuesday night.

Ole Miss’ (11-2) starter Josh Mallitz was dominant on the mound in his first start and fifth outing. Mallitz didn’t surrender back-to-back hits until the third and fanned five batters.

“His three-pitch mix would get us off to a great start,” head coach Mike Bianco said.

The Rebels broke up the pitchers’ duel in the third inning with three runs. Ole Miss loaded the bases on three-straight walks as Jacob Gonzalez came home on a hit-by-pitch to Cael Baker. Hayden Dunhurst stepped on the dish on an RBI base knock by Hayden Leatherwood. Tim Elko was the final run of the frame on a sac-fly by Ben Van Cleve.

Bianco brought Luke Baker into the game in the fifth after Mallitz (1-0) tossed four complete innings and allowed four hits on six strikeouts with a walk. Baker worked an inning surrendered a run, on a hit and struck out two.

Alcorn State (3-1) got on the board in the fifth with a solo shot by Khalil Smith into the bullpen in left field.

In the sixth, Cody Adcock took over on the bump and worked an inning allowed a hit with two strikeouts.

Ole Miss responded to Alcorn’s run from the fifth in the home half of the sixth as players came to the plate. Started by a base knock off the barrel of John Rhys Plumlee, followed by Justin Bench hit-by-pitch. Dunhurst loaded the bases on a walk. Plumlee scored on a wild pitch. Elko continued his hitting streak at the plate with a two RBI double. Elko comes around on a pass ball. 

Elko ended the night with three RBI.

The Rebels right fielder Leatherwood finished the night 2-for-3 with two singles, one run and an RBI.

Ole Miss used Brandon Johnson (1.0) and Wes Burton (1.0) to finish the game. The Rebels recorded 14 strikeouts.  

Ole Miss returns to Swayze this weekend to play host to Louisiana Monroe in a three-game series tilt. The first pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. on SEC Network +.