OXFORD, Miss. — Scott Bittle held Vanderbilt in check with five shutout innings in relief and Ole Miss used a three-run sixth inning to rally for a 7-6 win in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Oxford-University Stadium at Swayze Field.
The Commodores torched Rebel starter Lance Lynn for six runs on eighth hits in four innings before Bittle (2-1) came on in the fifth with his team trailing 6-4. He struck out nine with three walks and allowed just one hit to pick up the win.
Jeremy Travis’ RBI double started the three-run sixth. He then scored and tied the game on a bunt down the third base line by Tim Ferguson that Pedro Alvarez let roll past him in attempt to go foul. The ball stayed fair allowing Travis to score while Ferguson moved to second on the throw home. A sacrifice bunt by Brett Basham advanced Ferguson to third and he then scored on a squeeze bunt by Fuller Smith to give the Rebels the lead.
Vanderbilt starter Mike Minor (3-2) was charged with the loss after giving up seven runs, six earned, on nine hits in 6.2 innings with two strikeouts and a walk.
David Macias led the Commodores with two hits and two RBI. Travis led the Rebels with three hits and three RBI.
Dominic de la Osa and Pedro Alvarez belted back-to-back homers in the first to give VU an early 2-0 lead. Alvarez’ shot, his first of the year, went past tents set up in right field and was estimated to have gone 435 feet. It marked the first time the Commodores have had back-to-back homers since the same duo did it against Tennessee Tech on April 26, 2007.
Ole Miss tied the game in the second on a two-run double by Jeremy Travis.
The Commodores took the lead back in the third when Alex Feinberg was hit in the face with a Lance Lynn pitch with the bases loaded. Macias who led off the inning with a double, scored on the play. Feinberg had to leave the game as he was bleeding from the face.
The Rebels took the lead for the first time in the third on a two-run homer by Matt Smith over the centerfield wall. Cody Overbeck was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a balk before scoring on Smith’s seventh homer of the year.
Macias’ two-run homer to right in the fourth gave the Dores the lead back at 5-4. Shea Robin singled before Macias who hit his fifth homer of the year on a 2-0 offering.
The Dores added a run to the lead in the fifth and knocked out Lynn out of the game. Ryan Flaherty doubled and scored on a RBI single by Brian Harris. Lynn gave up six runs on eight hits in four innings with five strikeouts and three walks.
Game 1:
Vanderbilt 201 210 000 -6 9 1
Ole Miss 022 003 00x -7 9 2
Minor, Reid (7) and Robin. Lynn, Bittle (5) and Basham. W- Bittle 2-1. L- Minor 3-2 Sv: None HR: VU: de la Osa (5), Alvarez (1), Macias (5) OM: Smith (7)
