This was not the way that the Bruins would have wished to begin their “new season.” Over the weekend, the No. 23 Bruins (8-9) dropped two of three to the Ole Miss Rebels (13-5) at Oxford-University Stadium. The Bruins were pounded by the Rebels 8-0 on Friday night, outlasted the Rebels in a tightly contested 7-6 win Saturday, and were bested in Sunday’s rubber game 4-1.
“We knew going into this weekend that they had power arms and they showed that they did,” coach John Savage said. “It was a great atmosphere this weekend, with close to 5,000 fans each day. It was a great experience for our team to play in that environment. We can play with anyone when we play like we are capable of. We just need to get over that hump and get more offensive.”
On Friday night, the Bruins fell behind early, allowing the Rebels to score two runs in the first, one in the second and third, and three in the fourth, amounting to an early 7-0 deficit. The normally sensational and sharp Tyson Brummett (3-2) was tagged for 11 hits and seven runs in six innings of work.
Saturday the Bruin bats came out firing, amounting to an early 6-1 lead. But the Rebels would not go away quietly. The Rebels registered three runs in the fifth inning off home runs by center fielder Logan Power and shortstop Zack Cozart to trim the Bruin led to 6-4. The Rebels tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning to even the score at six apiece.
In the top of the seventh, shortstop Brandon Crawford hit a two-out double and then took third on a wild pitch. A few batters later, freshman third baseman Casey Haerther, who had a career day, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, drove in Crawford, which would become the winning run, with a single.
“I played well this series and I just need to keep it rolling for the rest of the season,” Haerther said. “The biggest thing was that we battled every game. “
Redshirt junior closer, Brant Rustich, entered the game in the seventh inning and went scoreless for three innings, allowing only two hits while walking one and striking out one. Rustich earned his fourth save of the year and showed that he has bounced back from a rough start to the season.
“Saturday was probably the longest that I have gone in a while since I was injured last year,” Rustich said.
Sunday the Bruins allowed the Rebels to get on the board early on with two runs in the first and one in the second off freshman starting pitcher Gavin Brooks (1-2), who allowed 10 hits, four runs, while striking out four in five and two-thirds innings .
Overall, the result was not what the Bruins were looking for or hoped to achieve going into the weekend, but they believe that they have each learned something from what transpired.
“We just need to learn how to play in a hostile environment where you have 4,000-5,000 screaming fans rooting against you,” Haerther said. “Our goal is Omaha, and if we get there, it will be 10 times as intense as this weekend was.”
The Bruins continue play on Tuesday night when they host the No.19 Long Beach State Dirtbags at Jackie Robinson Stadium.