It turned out to be a quick trip to Hoover for Ole Miss baseball.
Last seed Missouri hit three home runs, including a grand slam in the fifth, and a standout relief performance to upset Ole Miss 10-8 Tuesday at the Hoover Met in the first game of the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
Mizzou, now 24-30, advances to play Mississippi State Wednesday morning at 9:30.
For Ole Miss, losing to Mizzou, sealed its fate for the NCAA Tournament. The Rebs are a two seed, so no hosting a regional. They’ll be on the road in nine days or so.
Relief pitching was the difference Tuesday. Mizzou got it and the Rebels did not.
Starter Wil Libbert was one. He got through four innings with only two earned runs coming on two run homer by Kam Durnin.
It was afterwards that was bad. Tied at 2, J.P. Robertson got bashed.
He started the fifth,after an out, giving up two walks, a rbi single that put he Tigers up 3-2.
Luke Waters comes in and gives up a grand slam to Kaden Peer to extend the Tiger lead to 7-2.
Ole Miss answered with four runs. Tristan Bissetta doubled in a run, Hayden Federico singled in two and Owen Paino doubled in one.
It might have been two, but Paino’s was ruled a ground-rule double.
Mizzou went up 8-6 on solo homers from Jase Woita off Waters.
The Rebels tied it at 8 with a 2-run homer from Federico in the bottom of the seventh.
At that point the Tigers brought in Eli Skidmore.
It would be the Rebs who be on skid row. The Tiger pitcher allowed just one Rebel, a hit by itch in the ninth. He struck out five. He deservedly got the win with two,-plus inning of scoreless ball.
Mizzou got the two runs needed to take the lead and game in the eighth off a hit by Mateo Serna and an error in right for a 10-8 lead.
Federico had four RBIs to lead the Rebels and Don Decker had a home run and a double.
