By By Mark Etheridge / staff writer
April 22, 2002
TUSCALOOSA Ole Miss held Alabama to seven hits and took advantage of a five run inning seventh inning to beat Alabama 5-2 Sunday in front of 5,772 fans at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. The series clinching win draws the Rebels (32-9 12-6) within a game of the SEC leading Crimson Tide (34-7 13-5).
The Crimson Tide left eleven men on base in Sunday's loss two days after leaving thirteen on base in Friday's setback. In the series, Rebels scored eight of their runs in two innings while only scoring one in the other twenty-five played this weekend. The difference was that Mike Bianco's troops got the big hits while his pitchers baffled the Tide hitters in clutch situations.
Alan Horne (3-1), a first round draft choice of the Cleveland Indians in last June's amateur draft, started for the Rebels and pitched his best game of the season. Horne along with relievers Adam Yates and TJ Beam held the Tide to seven hits. Beam picked up his fifth save with a perfect ninth inning.
Shane Sanders started for the Tide and pitched a hitless three innings. He left with an arm injury immediately after giving up his first hit of the game to Burney Hutchinson leading off the fourth. Taylor Tankersley (6-3) replaced Sanders.
The Tide finally scratched through with a single run in the fifth after loading the bases. Peter Stonard led off with a single. Jeremy Brown drew a walk and Brent Boyd became Horne's third hit batter of the game. Stonard scored when Beau Hearod hit a long fly to the base of the wall for a sac fly.
Ole Miss broke through with a five run seventh. Drew Rogers singled to lead off the inning. He took third as Sterbens singled just inside the bag at first putting men on the corners with no outs. Pinch hitter Dustin Cliburn tied the game with a double to the wall in left scoring Rogers. Josh Christian walked loading the bases. Michael Swearengin greeted new Tide pitcher Brian Reed with a chopper through the drawn in infield scoring two runs. Clint Farrar knocked in another run with a sac fly. Hutchinson beat out a double play attempt to score another run.
Bama loaded the bases for the second time in the bottom of the seventh. Peter Stonard got his third hit of the day – a single – and Brown walked. Boyd reached on an error by third baseman Clint Farrar. Stonard scored when Hearod singled. Reliever Adam Yates got out of the jam as Grant Redding grounded into a double play.
The Rebels return to action Tuesday as they take on Tennessee-Martin. SEC play continues as 2001 College World Series participant Tennessee comes to Oxford for three games beginning Friday. Alabama travels to Jacksonville State Wednesday before hosting rival Auburn next weekend.