Rebels’ late-game comeback evens series vs. Maryland

OXFORD, Ms.- A late-inning comeback for fourth-ranked Ole Miss (5-1) led to a 12-6 victory over 13. Maryland (3-3) on Saturday at Oxford-University Stadium / Swayze Field.

The Rebels and Terrapins each have wins this weekend, and the deciding game is set for 1:30 p.m. Friday.

It was in the seventh inning when it really shifted the way of the Rebels in this one. By then, Ole Miss was down 5-4.

Calvin Harris led off the inning with a single, and a double by Ethan Groff put runners at second and third. Ethan Lege walked, and the Terps made their third pitching change when Nigel Belgrave came in for reliever Kyle McCoy. After two outs were recorded, Belgrave walked Garrett Wood for a run. Belgrave was then relieved by Dave Falco, and Jacob Gonzalez singled to score two runs.

The Rebels are up 7-6 after seven innings, and the momentum is in their favor.

Mason Nichols, the fifth pitcher for the Rebels in the contest, came in to pitch in the eighth. They will finally get their savings. After two quick outs in the eighth, the Terrapins got a single, a hit by Pitch, and a walk to load the bases.

But after a mound visit by head coach Mike Bianco, Nichols was able to get out of it with a long fly ball right in the front bullpen by Zmarzlak that Kemp Alderman crashed into the fence and caught. It’s probably time to save the game, but it’s important either way.

The Rebels maintained their 7-6 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth. But it won’t last long.

Ole Miss added a two-run lead off Anthony Calarco through the home bullpen and into right field after Harris walked with one out. Lege reached on a Maryland error, and pinch-hitter John Kramer walked. Riley Maddox came in to pinch run for Kramer. After Peyton Chatagnier fouled out to the second baseman, Lege scored from third on a single by team captain Wood. The Rebels lead 10-6.

Groff added to the lead with a single to left, scoring Wood and Maddox for a six-run advantage for Ole Miss at 12-6 after eight full innings.

In the top of the ninth, Nichols returned to the mound to finish.

In the early stages of the game, starting right-hander Grayson Saunier gave up no runs in the top of the first inning, even as Maryland threatened. Ole Miss picked up a run in the bottom of the first for a 1-0 lead. After Groff walked, Alderman doubled to score Groff.

The Terrapins tied the game in the second inning but left three stranded as Saunier continued to compete early.

In the bottom of the second, Lege got Ole Miss going with a single up the middle of Maryland starter Nick Dean. After Will Furniss struck out and Chatagnier flied out to right, Reagan Burford walked. Gonzalez then had a solid at-bat and wound up with a single that bounced past the first baseman and stayed fair to score Lege. Groff flew out to right, and it was 2-1 Ole Miss after two.

In the third inning, Saunier gave up a one-out home run to Ian Petrutz. After being hit by a pitch, a strikeout, and a walk, the new true day was over. Saunier’s line: 2.2 innings, two runs, one earned, on two hits with four strikeouts and three walks.

Freshman Sam Tookoian came on and got the final out of the inning, a strikeout by Bobby Zmarzlak. The score was tied at 2-2.

On top of Tookoian four strong, striking out three Terrapins. In the bottom of the fourth, Ole Miss scored two runs as Groff singled to left to plate Furniss, who had singled, and Burford, who had walked.

In the fifth, the walk haunted the Rebels. Five of them contributed to three Terrapin runs, and the visitors led 5-4 heading into the bottom of the frame. Matt Parenteau homered to Tookoian as Ole Miss took a 4-3 lead. But two runs later, the Terps were on the run. A pop to third baseman Lege, who made a nice catch in front of the Maryland dugout, ended the inning.

Left-hander Kyle McCoy replaced Dean to start the inning. Ole Miss got a pair of singles by Gonzalez and Groff with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. But the Rebels couldn’t get home, and this left it 5-4 with the visitors still leading.

The Rebels dominated the offensive statistics with 14 hits to four for the Terrapins.

JT Quinn, the fourth of five pitchers for Ole Miss, got the win and made it 2-0. The second pitcher out of five for Maryland, McCoy (0-1), got the loss.