JONESBORO, Ark. (03/17/09) ? For six innings, the Arkansas State
Red Wolves gave 12th-ranked Ole Miss all it could handle, but the
Rebels pulled away from a 2-1 advantage with five runs in the final three
innings to defeat ASU 7-1 Tuesday night before a season-high crowd of 781 at
Tomlinson Stadium and Kell Field.
Arkansas State got a strong game from freshman starter Jacob Lee
on the mound, and the Red Wolves turned three double plays in the game to keep
it close until the end. Lee gave up two
runs on four hits in four innings of work, striking out four Rebels along the
way while walking four.
“Jacob has got good stuff and when he learns to command the strike
zone just a little bit better, he can be a very good pitcher for us,” said ASU
Head Coach Tommy Raffo. “He was fortunate
in that he didn't give up a few more runs, but that tells you what he can get
out of some innings with his stuff. When
he starts to trust it, I think he will get even better.”
Ole Miss got on the board in the second when Lee hit Rebel
shortstop Kevin Mort with the bases loaded to send home a run. The Rebels went up 2-0 in the third when right
fielder David Phillips drove in a run on a ground-out to first base.
The 2-0 Ole Miss lead held up until the fifth, when ASU second
baseman Giovanni Garcia got aboard with a leadoff walk, stole second and scored
on an Ole Miss throwing error when he stole third.
Ole Miss picked up two runs in the seventh, scoring an unearned
run and the second on a RBI single up the middle from left fielder Logan Power
to go up 4-1. Two runs in the eighth and
another in the ninth completed the Ole Miss scoring and set the final score at
7-1.
Lee (0-1) took the loss on the mound for ASU while starter Brett
Bukvich (3-0) picked up the win for Ole Miss.
Arkansas State got one hit each from Garcia, left fielder Josh DeMoney,
center fielder Todd Baumgartner, first baseman Brandon Eller and third baseman Guy
Brown. Mort was 3-for-4 with two RBIs to
lead the Rebels.
The Red Wolves will be back in action Friday when they open a
three-game Sun Belt Conference series at Louisiana-Monroe. Friday's first pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.
“They are going to be difficult at home, and when you go on the
road, you've got to find a way to play complete games, not for five or six
innings, but for a whole nine,” said Raffo.
“If we can do that, we will put ourselves in a good position to win.”
