With the SEC travel curfew about to go into
effect, No. 16 Ole Miss (20-8/5-4 SEC) capitalized on a bases-loaded throwing error
in the ninth to edge No. 1 Florida (24-4/6-3 SEC), 7-6, in front of 8,616 fans on
Sunday afternoon at Oxford University Stadium/Swayze Field. The series drew a
total of 27,991 fans, the second-highest series total in the facility’s
history.
It was the first series loss of the year for
the Gators and was the club’s first regular-season series setback since
dropping two of three at No. 18 Arkansas last May. The Rebels have now taken
home series over the top-ranked team three times in the last four years after
defeating Georgia (2009), South Carolina (2011) and Florida (2012).
Deadlocked at 6-6 entering the home part of
the ninth and with no inning allowed to begin after 3:45 p.m. CT, junior Austin
Maddox (Jacksonville, Fla.) struck out leadoff batter Matt Snyder (2-for-5,
two RBI). Sophomore Will Allen (2-for-5) singled into left field and was
replaced by sophomore pinch runner Bobby Wahl, who was the winning pitcher in Friday’s
series opener. Sophomore Preston Overbey singled up the middle, moving Wahl to
third, and took second on the relay throw. Senior Zack Kirksey was walked
intentionally to load the bases, bringing freshman Senquez Golson to the plate.
The Gators brought in senior Preston Tucker (Tampa, Fla.) from right
field as an extra infielder and he fielded a grounder by Golson to first base
but misfired on the throw home to junior catcher Mike Zunino (Cape
Coral, Fla.), enabling Wahl to score the winning run.
UF had trailed by a 5-0 margin and had taken
a 6-5 lead in the seventh inning on a solo homer by Tucker before the Rebels had
tied the game in the bottom of that frame. Junior Brett Huber (1-1) retired all
six batters he faced to earn the victory, while Maddox (2-1) took the loss.
