Reggie McClain dominated in an 8.1 inning outing. Photo courtesy Mizzou Tigers Athletics
McClain Continues Dominant Start In Win
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Reggie McClain (Jr., RHP) continued his early season dominance two earned runs over 8.1 innings as the surprising Missouri Tigers (17-5) downed the No. 8 South Carolina Gamecocks (17-5) with a 3-2 outcome Friday at Taylor Stadium. The right-hander struck out three and spread out five Gamecocks’ hits to improve to 4-1 on the year.
The 6’2” 194-pound junior out of Duluth, Georgia has been an impressive force on Friday nights so far with a 1.74 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP while leading the SEC with 46.2 innings pitched. McClain is holding opposing hitters below .200, .189 to be exact, and has a 5.7 K/BB clip with 40 strikeouts on the year which puts him on pace to bust 100 by season’s end.
With McClain locking down Friday nights, the Tigers have been on a tear and sit at 4-1 in the early going of SEC play.
McClain’s counterpart was South Carolina sophomore righty Will Crowe who was equal to the task, allowing three earned runs in a complete game effort. Crowe struck out six but surrendered six hits and two walks as he fell to 3-2.
The key hit four Mizzou came with no outs and the bases loaded in the second as freshman Trey Harris (DH) grounded a two-run single through the left side of the infield to take the 2-1 lead. However, South Carolina tied the game in the fifth when junior DC Arendas (3B) singled home sophomore shortstop Jordan Gore, who was on third after tripling to right.
First baseman Zach Lavy (Jr.) put the Tigers ahead for good with a two-out single up the middle that scored freshman catcher Brett Bond to take the 3-2 lead.
With one-out and a runner on second in the ninth, Missouri head coach Tim Jamieson turned to closer Breckin Williams (Jr., RHP) who sat down the final two Gamecocks to snag his sixth save of the year.
Resilient Ole Miss Knocks Off No. 1 Florida
OXFORD, Miss. – Junior left-hander Christian Trent (4-1, 3.11) tossed a gem on Friday that knocked the No. 1 Florida Gators (19-4) on their heels as the Ole Miss Rebels (12-9) took a 4-1 win to open their series at Swayze Field. Trent sat down 12 of the first 13 Gators he faced and allowed only three hits and a walk over 6.1 innings of work
The junior continues to dominate on the mound as the Rebels’ Friday night arm with three strikeouts and was only really challenged in the fifth when he put two runners on with one out. But the right-hander rallied to put out the next two hitters and end the threat.
Trent’s only earned run came on a one-out double in the seventh off the bat of freshman Mike Rivera that scored Buddy Reed (So., CF)who led off the frame with a single.
Rebels’ head coach Mike Bianco opted for bullpen stalwart Scott Weathersby (Sr., RHP) and the experienced arm responded with two-and-two-thirds innings of no-hit ball to close out the Gators and earn his second save on the year.
The Rebels have stumbled out of the gate, having played the top ranked opening schedule in the nation, and yet after Friday night’s 4-1 win over the nation’s top team have evened their SEC mark and are poised to hand the Gators their first series loss this season.
Ole Miss offense was provided by a pair of two-run hits, the first came as sophomore JB Woodman launched his third homer of the season off Florida ace Logan Shore (So., RHP) in the first inning to give the Rebels a 2-0 advantage. Senior Austin Knight (C) hit a two-run single back up the box against Gators reliever Aaron Rhodes (Jr., RHP) to extend the Rebels’ lead to 4-0.
Shore gave up his fourth long ball of 2015 after allowing only one all of last season. The sophomore would take the loss, falling to 3-2, lasting only 3.2 innings on the night.
No. 2 LSU 16, Arkansas 3
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – After scoring only one run in a series-opening loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks, the No. 2 LSU Tigers pounded out 21 hits and plated 16 runs in a 16-3 blowout win at Baum Stadium on Friday night. Centerfielder Andrew Stevenson (Jr.) went 4-for-6 and scored twice, Jared Foster (Sr., 2B) launched a two-run bomb in the seventh on a 3-for-4 night and Chris Sciambra (Sr., OF) snuck a three-run triple down the right field line in the fifth while Mark Laird (Jr., OF) and Kade Scivicque (Sr., C) each contributed three hits to highlight some of the Tigers’ offense on the night. Not to be overshadowed was the brilliant outing had by freshman righty Alex Lange as he allowed an earned run over seven innings while striking out six to improve to 5-0.
Auburn 6, No. 4 Vanderbilt 4
AUBURN, Ala. – Sophomore Kyler Deese (DH) hit a sixth-inning, three-run double down the line in left off No. 4 Vanderbilt Commodores’ (15-7) ace Carson Fulmer (Jr., RHP) as the Auburn Tigers (17-5) downed Vanderbilt 6-4 on Friday night at Plainsman Park. The Tigers notched their first SEC win and chased Fulmer from the game in the sixth after he allowed six runs (one earned) to go with eight strikeouts. Keegan Thompson (So., RHP) improved to 4-2 while striking out eight over 6.2 innings of work.
No. 5 Texas A&M 4, Alabama 2
HOOVER, Ala. – No. 5 Texas A&M Aggies hurler Grayson Long (Jr., RHP) struck out 14 over six innings of work as the Aggies remain the nation’s only undefeated team with a 4-2 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide (12-8) at Hoover Met on Friday night. Long improves to 5-0 on the year and the Aggies have started SEC play 4-0 while pushing their amazing start to 23-0.
Georgia 2, Tennessee 1
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Jared Walsh (Sr., LHP) allowed an earned run over seven while striking out eight and Mike Bell (So., 2B) hit a two-run, second-inning homer as the Georgia Bulldogs (13-9) held off the Tennessee Volunteers (9-9) 2-1. Walsh improved to 3-0 and Bell’s long ball was his third on the season.
Kentucky 10, Mississippi State 2
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Wildcats (14-7) piled up seven runs in the second inning against Mississippi State Bulldogs ace Preston Brown (Jr., RHP) on route to downing the Bulldogs 10-2 at Cliff Hagan Stadium on Friday night. Wildcats’ starter Zack Brown (So., RHP) tossed 7.1 innings, scattering four hits and five walks while allowing two runs, one earned, to up his mark on the season to 2-2.
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