No. 4 Ole Miss Set for Matchup at Alabama

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

No. 4 Ole Miss baseball is headed to Tuscaloosa, Alabama for their first road SEC series tilt as they take on the Alabama Crimson Tide. The series is set for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Ole Miss (17-4, 3-0 SEC) is coming off of a 5-2 victory over Central Arkansas on Tuesday night.  The Rebels sit at the top of the SEC Western Division standings. 

The Rebels pitching staff will have left-hander Doug Nikhazy back on the hill against the Crimson Tide. Nikhazy has missed the last two starts due to a strain in his chest.

“Doug will start on Friday,” head coach Mike Bianco said following the game.

The Rebels are also going to bring senior right-hander Max Cioffi to pitch out of the bullpen.

Against the Crimson Tide, Ole Miss will go with a rotation of Gunnar Hoglund (Thursday), Doug Nikhazy (Friday) and Derek Diamond (Saturday). Drew McDaniel will be in the pen.

“On Friday, he might come in for Doug,” Bianco said. “(McDaniel is a guy that can give us full length in the bullpen.”

Inclement weather is expected on Thursday that could postpone the first game of the series that is scheduled to be on ESPNU.

“The weather looks terrific on Friday and looks like will play two games on Friday if we get rain on Thursday,” Bianco said. 

Game times set for this SEC divisional series are Thursday (6 p.m.), Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (1 p.m.).