Double Header Recap -- (18)Ole Miss at (15)UCF

Rebels Hand UCF First Loss of Season, Split Doubleheader

The Ole Miss Rebels were looking for a big series win after having lost game 1 on Friday, 4-5. The Rebels started out bright and early, and according to the Ole Miss IMG Sports Network, 7:30 was the earliest pre-game warm-up time ever recorded in Ole Miss Baseball History. The first game started with the Rebels leading 1-0, and that lead to a 3-run 4th inning for UCF. UCF's weekend was full of comebacks, for they were down 4-0 in Game 1 of the series and won 5-4, they had a minor comeback in this one, and you're about to find out about Game 3. Ole Miss would cut into that lead because of a Cameron Dishon RBI, but the Rebels were not able to bring home any more runs in the first game of the day. FINAL: UCF 3, Ole Miss 2. 

Sikes Orvis and Colby Bortles after a HR vs. Arkansas State.

In Game 3 of the weekend series, Ole Miss came ready to play. The Rebels would score the first run of the game off of a double by Tate Blackman in the 2nd inning. A Sikes Orvis HR gave the Rebels a 2-0 lead in the 3rd inning, and it would be the Senior's 3 homer of the season. In the 5th inning, Colby Bortles "decided to play long-ball" as the Oviedo, Florida native blasted a solo HR to make it 3-0. Fun Fact: Colby Bortles' brother, Blake Bortles, is a former star QB at UCF. In the sixth, Sam Smith let a two run homer go by for UCF, and Jacob Waguespack would take the pitching duties from there. Wyatt Short would come into a 3-3 ballgame in the B7, and he handled business from there. In the top of the 9th inning, Ole Miss had bases loaded with, arguably, their best hitter at the plate, Sikes Orvis. Orvis would receive a 4 pitch walk that would give the Rebels the 4-3 lead with 1 out. The Rebels would get nothing else out of the inning, and it was time for Wyatt Short to step up and deliver a win. Short would record two strikeouts in the 9th inning, and he would give the Rebels a much-needed win. Although the series went to UCF, a very good team, winning the last game of the series makes the flight home much, much better. The Rebels boost to 6-4 as the UCF Knights drop their first loss of the season, 10-1.

Player of the Game: No. 38 P Wyatt Short(2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 K)

 

Next Game: @Southern Miss, Wednesday, March 4, @ 6:30 PM. Hattiesburg, MS.