Rebels Split Doubleheader with No. 5 Arkansas

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

Ole Miss splits the doubleheader on Friday against the No. 5 Arkansas Razorbacks at Swayze Field.

Arkansas (24-6, 7-4 SEC)  took the first game of the doubleheader by the score of 11-2. Ole Miss (18-12, 2-9 SEC) came back in the second game and evened the series by a score of 7-4.

A total of six home runs between the two clubs on Friday.

Game one 

Arkansas jumped out on the scoreboard first in the second on a home run off the bat of Caleb Cali.

Ole Miss’ starter Jack Dougherty settled in and kept the Razorbacks off the board until the fifth.

Dougherty struck out the side in the fourth and recorded seven strikeouts. He (2-3) worked 4.1 innings and surrendered eight runs (six earned) on eight hits with seven strikeouts and two walks to pick up the loss.

Arkansas sent nine sluggers to the dish in the fifth and scored six runs capped off by a grand slam off the bat of Bradey Slavens.

Coach Mike Bianco brought in Brayden Jones out of the bullpen for a frame before turning the ball over to Jordan Vera.

The Razorbacks starter Hunter Hallan kept Ole Miss off the scoreboard through six innings and only allowed three hits with four strikeouts to three walks.

Ole Miss scored two-runs in the eighth on a two-run home run by Kemp Alderman to left field. Alderman has 12 home runs on the season.

In the ninth, Arkansas tacked on two runs.

Game Two

Arkansas took the lead in the second game in the second frame as Jace Bohrofen singled and scored on an RBI by Slavens.

Ole Miss quickly answered with a run of their own as Ethan Lege scored Alderman who walked to open the inning.

In the fifth, Arkansas plated the second run of the game when Jared Wegner walked and came into score on a double by Kendall Diggs.

Ole Miss had a huge five-run sixth inning that was capped off by a three-run home run by Lege to make it 7-2.

Lege finished the game going 3-for-3 with a run on a home run, double and four RBI.

The Rebels starter Xavier Rivas held the Razorback sluggers to two runs in six innings on the hill. Rivas finished the day surrendering two runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and four walks. 

Arkansas’ pitcher Hagen Smith tossed five innings allowing four runs with four hits. Smith retired seven by strikeout and gave up two walks.

Smith turned the ball over to Cody Adcock in the sixth who worked a frame and surrendered three runs on two hits with a strikeout and a walk.

In the seventh, Mitch Murrell took the bump for Ole Miss. Murrell worked two innings with two runs on two hits and two strikeouts prior to turning it over to Mason Nichols.

Arkansas climbed back into the game with a two-run home run in the ninth by Peyton Stovall.

The rubber game of the series is Saturday at 2 p.m. and can be seen on the SEC Network.