By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com
No. 4 Ole Miss baseball opened the 2023 season with an 11-2 win over the Delaware Blue Hens.
Ole Miss’ (1-0) starting pitcher left-hander Hunter Elliott made quick work of the Blue Hens. Elliott opened the game by striking out the side and didn’t surrender a hit until the fourth.
Ole Miss offense followed their ace with four home runs on the opening day by Peyton Chatagnier, TJ McCants, Will Furniss and Ethan Groff.
The Rebels’ offense got going in the second inning as six runs were scored against the Blue Hens starter Eli Atiya. Senior Peyton Chatagnier delivered a three-run bomb.
Junior Calvin Harris led the 10-batter frame off with a base knock to center followed by a double off the bat of junior Ethan Lege. Senior Anthony Calarco delivered the first run of the season on a base knock.
In the third, the Rebels added a run as Lege opened the frame with a walk and came home on a sac fly off the bat of Chatagnier.
Delaware got on the board in the fourth on a solo shot by Bryce Greenly. Elliott retired the next two batters in the frame before a hit by JJ Freeman, a walk to Owen Petrich and an RBI single by Aidan Kane.
Atiya worked 2.2 innings and surrendered seven runs on seven hits in his first outing of the season. The Blue Hens then made a call to the bullpen for Joey Silan.
In the fifth, Chatagnier continued to be hot at the plate with his second hit of the game. Chatagnier finished the night going 2-for-3 a run with a home run and four RBI.
Head coach Mike Bianco made a call to the bullpen in the sixth for freshman right-hander JT Quinn.
Elliott tossed five innings and surrendered two runs on three hits (a home run) with nine strikeouts on the day.
Quinn worked a frame by striking out a batter and allowing a walk before turning the ball over to Mitch Murrell. Murrell worked two complete innings with a hit and three strikeouts with a walk.
Senior right-hander Matt Parenteau came in to close the game out in the ninth.
In the eighth, the Rebels hit three home runs off the bats of McCants, Furniss and Groff.
The Ole Miss pitchers retired 16 Blue Hens batters by strikeouts on the night.
Ole Miss returns to action on Saturday for game two of the three-game set against Delaware. The first pitch is set for 12 p.m.
