Ole Miss Exits SEC Tournament with 6-1 Loss to Crimson Tide

In the single-elimination first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament, the No. 6 seeded Ole Miss baseball team dropped a 6-1 decision to No. 11 seed Alabama Tuesday morning at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. The Rebels (30-26) recorded nine hits throughout the contest, but the Crimson Tide (31-26) used two-out hitting to score all six runs and claim the victory.

Sophomore Errol Robinson recorded his 14th multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-5 with one RBI. Freshman Kyle Watson added two singles as well, continuing to produce since returning to the starting lineup. Freshman Will Golsan and sophomore J.B. Woodman also tallied two hits apiece for Ole Miss. `

Senior Scott Weathersby (4-2) went 6.0 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. Second Team All-SEC honoree Wyatt Short tossed 1.2 scoreless innings, and freshman Will Stokes retired both batters he faced in the ninth.

Alabama starting pitcher Geoffrey Bramblett (8-3) pitched a complete game, surrendering one run and nine hits. At the plate, Mikey White and Casey Hughston combined for four hits, three RBI and two runs.

The first game of the tournament began as a pitcher’s duel against two Sunday starters. The Rebels recorded three hits, while Alabama only got two off of Weathersby; however, the contest was scoreless through the first four innings.

Alabama broke through in the fifth, using four two-out hits to plate a pair of runs. Back-to-back singles placed runners on the corners. The Crimson Tide attempted a double steal, but as the throw went down to second, the runner at first went back to the bag, while the lead runner broke for home and slid in safely. Two more singles brought another run across the dish to give UA a two-run advantage.

Ole Miss got a run back in the bottom half of the inning. Watson led things off with a base hit through the left side before advancing to second on a groundout by Cameron Dishon. With a runner in scoring position, Robinson continued his clutch hitting with a base hit up the middle. Watson motored around third and into home, cutting the deficit in half, 2-1, after five innings of play.

Weathersby pitched a perfect sixth inning before exiting after a leadoff single in the seventh. The Crimson Tide added four runs during the frame to increase their lead to five, 6-1.

The Rebels got two men on base in the eighth inning as well as the ninth inning. However, Bramblett was able to get his team out of the jam both times, preventing an Ole Miss comeback.

Ole Miss will now wait to see about a possible destination for the 2015 NCAA Tournament. The field will be announced on Monday, May 25, at 11 a.m. CT on ESPNU.