No. 3 Ole Miss Splits Doubleheader with No. 2 Arkansas

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

No. 3 Ole Miss (24-7, 8-3 SEC) splits the doubleheader with No. 2 Arkansas on Saturday at Swayze. The Razorbacks came from behind to take game one 7-3. Ole Miss held Arkansas at bay in the second game with a 13-6 win to remain tied for the SEC West division lead.

Game One

Arkansas came from behind late in the game to pull out a 7-3 win in the first game of the doubleheader.

Ole Miss got on the scoreboard in the first with two runs in the first as Jacob Gonzalez and Kevin Graham both delivered base knocks. Both came around to score on a double off the bat of Hayden Dunhurst.

Two innings later, the Rebels’ second baseman Peyton Chatagnier had the other extra-base rip in third with a double and then came around for the Rebel’s final score of the game.

The Rebels start Gunnar Hoglund was masterful on the mound against the Razorbacks. Hoglund kept them guessing at the dish. Through the first five innings, he kept the Razorbacks hitless and struck out eight.

Hoglund finished the day as he tossed 5.1 innings surrendered three runs on two hits with eight strikeouts and five walks.

The Ole Miss catcher, Dunhurst had an impressive day at the dish as he went 5-for-5 with a double and four singles. 

Bianco brought in Jackson Kimbrell (0.1), Tyler Myers (0.1), Austin Miller (1.2) and Josh Mallitz (1.1) all worked in the game.

Arkansas found a way to get on base in the sixth inning brought in three runs followed by two in each of the following innings.

Ole Miss had a total of 14 hits in the game on the Razorbacks. The Rebels pitching staff retired 11 Arkansas sluggers by strikeout.

Game Two

Ole Miss jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first against Arkansas as Gonzalez and Chatagnier have back-to-back base hits. Dunhurst brought home Gonzalez and McCants plates, Chatagnier.

In the third, the Rebels got things going as Graham walked then Justin Bench singled. Hayden Leatherwood opened up the game with a three-run shot to the student section in right field that made it  5-0 Ole Miss.

Junior Doug Nikhazy continued the dominance set by Hoglund in the first game on the bump. 

Arkansas cut into the lead in the fourth with two runs of their own all with two outs in the frame after an error by Bench at third. The Razorbacks got a walk followed by back-to-back base rips RBI off the barrel of Dylan Leach and Casey Opitz 5-2 Ole Miss.

Ole Miss quickly responded in the fifth as they got the two runs back. Bench and TJ McCants got back-to-back base knocks and came home on a base hit by Ben Van Cleve. McCants crossed the plate with a Gonzalez RBI single.

Nikhazy (3-1) worked 5.2 innings surrendered four runs (two earned) on seven hits while seven batters recorded strikeouts, two walks and one hit-by-pitch.

Bianco made a call to the bullpen and called on the arm of Drew McDaniel. McDaniel logged 0.2 innings faced five Razorback sluggers allowed a run on a hit with two walks and a strikeout.

In the sixth, the Razorbacks scratched for two runs. Then in the seventh, a solo shot by Christian Franklin to right field.

The Rebels closer, Taylor Broadway entered with one out in the seventh and closed the door on Arkansas rally as he induced a flyout, dropped third strike and a flyout. Broadway (8 saves) tossed 2.2 innings allowing one run on just four hits with three strikeouts.

In the bottom of the eighth, Ole Miss answered Arkansas score with four runs of their own in the frame. Dunhurst came up with the bases loaded and placed a ball down the right-field line for a triple that cleared the bases. He came home on a base knock by Bench. John Rhys Plumlee brought Bench home on an RBI double to left.

In the two games combined Dunhurst finished the day going 7-for-10 with one run scored and five RBI.

Ole Miss out hit Arkansas 32-20 on the day in the two games. 

The third and final game of the series a rubber match that decides it all will be Sunday at 1:30 p.m. on SEC Network+.