Diamond Rebs Extend Winning Streak to 15 Games

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

No. 8 Ole Miss defeated Louisiana Monroe 6-3 in a close game on the road Tuesday night to open the series.

Tim Elko with a double and a triple against ULM. Photo by Petre Thomas/Ole Miss Athletics

Ole Miss (15-1) used extra-base knocks to power past the Warhawks. The Rebels pushed out its home run count to 32 on the season against the ULM hurlers.

The junior Rebel third baseman Keenan continued his hot streak at the dish in his first at-bat by belting a three-run bomb that brought home Anthony Servideo and Peyton Chatagnier. He finished the night going 1-for-2 with a home run and drove in three RBIs.

Keenan is tied with Servideo for the team lead with five home runs and leads the club with 27 RBIs on the season.

Louisiana Monroe (12-4) answered quickly in the first on a two-run shot off the bat of Danny DeSimone followed by an RBI single by Colby Deaville in the second that tied the game at 3-3.

After the second inning, the Rebels and Louisiana Monroe got into a pitchers duel for over three innings.

Ole Miss freshman southpaw Benji Gilbert got his first career start tossing 3.1 innings as he surrendered three runs. He sent two sluggers back to the dugout after striking out and allowed one walk. Gilbert got a no-decision.

Coach Mike Bianco brought Taylor Broadway in out of the pen in the fourth and worked 2.2 innings. He didn’t surrender a run on a hit while he struck out five batters and gave up a walk. Broadway picked up his second win of the season.

“The (bullpen) was great you never know what to expect in the middle of the week,” Bianco said. “With two-midweek games, we have not had that yet and go with Benji. I thought he was terrific in his first career start.”

The Rebels also used Austin Miller (1.2) and Braden Forsyth (1.1) to close out the game. Forsyth picked up his fifth save on the season.

“It’s an adrenaline rush every time, that is why I love closing,” Forsyth said. “I just tried my best to remember to do the little things right and let everything else take care of itself.”

Junior right fielder Tim Elko shined at the dish with a double and a triple on the night. Elko ended the night 2-for-4 with a run, double and triple and drove in two RBIs.

“(In the sixth) they had been throwing the off-speed and I had missed a fastball earlier in the at-bat,” Elko said. “I put a good piece on anything I could get and I did it. I would not have been able to score those guys if they were not able to get on base.”

Louisiana Monroe’s hurler Tyler Lien did not pick up a decision as he worked 5.0 innings and allowed three runs on four hits. He struck out three and gave up a walk. Conner Deeds picked up the loss going 4.0 innings and giving up the last three runs.

Ole Miss and ULM will play the final game of the series tomorrow at 4 p.m.

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