Gonzalez, No. 4 Ole Miss rolls to run-rule of Blue Hens

OXFORD, Ms.- A second offensive explosion helped Ole Miss to a big lead early as the Rebels completed the sweep of Delaware on Saturday with a 14-4 victory. Ole Miss (3-0) won its first two games this weekend by 11-2 and 10-0 margins on Friday and Saturday.

Rebel shortstop Jacob Gonzalez, with a career-high seven RBI, led the Rebel offense with a walk, a double, and a grand slam in the final.

After a topless top of the first to left-handed Rebel starter Xavier Rivas, Calvin Harris’ fly ball scored Ethan Lege from third, who had reached on a hit by pitch, for a 1-0 Rebel lead after one inning.

After Riva didn’t allow another run, a seven-run home run in the bottom of the second put Ole Miss up 8-0. Already with four strikeouts and only one baserunner through two, a big advantage gives Rivas enough lead to work with.

In the productive second, a walk to Anthony Calarco and a single by Judd Utermark and TJ McCants loaded the bases. Jacob Gonzalez then launched a grand slam over the right field wall for a 5-0 Rebel lead. After Lege’s single, Kemp Alderman homered over the left field wall into the visiting bullpen. Harris followed with a double, Ethan Groff grounded out, and an error allowed Calarco to reach, which scored Harris.

Leading 8-0, the game came to a halt and Rivas continued to make good progress. In the fourth, a fly out to center field by Harris followed back-to-back singles by Lege and Alderman got Lege home from third base for a nine-run lead.

Rivas made it through with one out in the top of the fifth inning. But with the Blue Hens on first and second, both with walks, right-hander Tommy Henninger came in for the Rebel starter. A Dan Covino base hit earned a home run for Delaware (0-3) in the fifth to cut Ole Miss’ lead to 9-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, Peyton Chatagnier homered to left with one out to make it 10-1.

After two were aboard with one out in the sixth for the Blue Hens, Henninger was relieved by Jordan Vera. The freshman right-hander got a strikeout for the second, but then gave up a single, then a double as Delaware scored three runs in the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, Harris tripled into the right corner, then Groff singled up the middle. A Gonzalez double to right later in the inning plated three runs for a 14-4 lead.

Vera closed it out for the Rebels in the top of the seventh with the 10-run rule in effect. Ole Miss had 14 hits in the contest to four for the Blue Hens.

In addition to Gonzalez’s hitting day, Alderman was 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. Lege went 2-for-3 and scored three runs. Harris had a double to go along with a triple and had two RBI on the day.

Catcher Tyler Leach had two hits to lead the Blue Hens on Sunday.

Rivas was the winning pitcher for the Rebels, while Delaware starter Chris Grome took the loss.

The Rebels host Arkansas State at 4 pm on Saturday.