Ole Miss Falls Short to No. 1 LSU in Game Two

Hunter Elliott returned to the mound and Kemp Alderman hit his 16^th home run of the season for Ole Miss baseball (21-18, 3-14) as they dropped game two against No. 1 LSU (31-7, 11-5) Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers scored six runs in the first two innings and had built up a 7-0 lead by the end of the fifth. The Rebels were able to get on the board in the sixth inning, but LSU would go on to win 8-4.

Alderman went 1-for-4 with three RBI while Cole Tolbert and Mason Morris each turned in solid outings from the bullpen. Tolbert went three innings and allowed just one run on four hits while Morris pitched two hitless innings of relief.

For the Tigers, Dylan Crews had a six-RBI day with two home runs and Ty Floyd pitched 8.1 innings allowing just three runs, all on a home run by Alderman.

Crews hit his first home run of the day in the first inning, a two-RBI shot to straightaway center field to put LSU up early. The Tigers loaded the bases in the second inning and forced Elliott to exit early just before Crews hit his second home run, a grand slam to left center that made it 6-0.

Elliott, who hadn’t pitched in a game since February 17, would end up taking the loss after giving up five runs on two hits and five walks.

LSU added one more run in the fifth inning as Tolbert allowed a solo home run to Cade Beloso, the first hitter he faced.

Ole Miss had just three hits through the first five innings before Jacob Gonzalez hit a one-out double in the sixth inning. Calvin Harris drew a walk and Alderman got the Rebels on the board with a long shot over the batter’s eye in center field to make it 7-3.

LSU added one more run in the seventh as a fielding error by Ethan Lege led to an unearned run later in the inning with two outs.

Down to their final out, Ole Miss rallied with two outs in the ninth as Lege drew a walk and reached second base on a wild pitch. Reagan Burford hit a pinch-hit infield single which led to a throwing error by the LSU shortstop, allowing Lege to score to make it 8-4.

The rally would end there however, as Peyton Chatagnier grounded out to end the game.

Ole Miss and LSU will play game three of the series Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports