By Jeff Byrd
Ole Miss Sunday starter Taylor Rabe
It was a downright ugly performance at the plate for Ole Miss Sunday in a deciding game with Georgia.
From the sixth inning on, Ole Miss struck out 10 times against a bevy of Bulldog relievers.
Georgia closer Justin Byrd finished off the game by striking out the final two Rebel batters in the ninth inning as Georgia retains its place atop the Southeastern Conference at 15-6 following the 5-1 victory at Swayze Field.
Ole Miss, which came in red hot with 12 wins in 14 games, including a marvelous comeback in Saturday’s first game to win 10-8, left frustrated by 13 strikeouts against the Bulldogs.Â
Ole Miss will take a 31-14 record and an 11-10 SEC mark to Pearl to meet arch-rival Mississippi State. The game is for the Governor’s Cup and not a league game.
Fifth ranked Georgia goes to 34-11 solidifying its place as a near lock for a NCAA Tournament national seed. Projections had the Bulldogs at No. 6 in the nation’s top16. Ole Miss was 14th before the series and the win in Game 1, likely helped it rise.
Yet 30 strikeouts, including 17 in Saturday’s late show that went 14 innings, has everyone, team and fans wondering.
Ole Miss pitchers deserve better.Â
After using up its entire bullpen Saturday night, the Rebs needed Taylor Rabe to get at least six innings and then hope closer Walker Hooks could finish it off.
The pair followed the plan. Rabe got to the seventh, down just 2-1, against the best power-hitting team in the country. Georgia came in with 116 homers. Hooks had three innings and struck out three but did give up two runs as Georgia extended its lead to 5-1.
A double by Georgia’s Ryan Blade ended Rabe’s day. He gave up three runs on eight hit and struck out six. Hooks allowed a fly out RBI from Rylan Lujo that made it 3-1.
That was the score going to the bottom of the eighth. It would be the Rebels’ last and only chance to do something at the plate.
Tristan Bissett got his second hit of the game with a shot to right. Then two UGA pitchers hit Will Furniss and Topher Jones to load the bases.
Byrd, the UGA closer, came in for the third time in the series. He got the loss in the 10-8 comeback and then pitched as well in the marathon.
In the at-bat of the series, Byrd struck out Hunter Paino, stranding three and handing Ole Miss a hard loss. Paino did have two hits but also had two of the K’s of the final 10.
Dom Decker got the Rebs lone run when he led off with a walk and then scored on a double play ball from Judd Utermark.
UGA reliever Caden Aoki helped out his pen by going six innings. He gave up three home runs in two innings Saturday in the 10-8 win for UM.