Ole Miss is headed to the SEC Championship recreation for the primary time since 2019 after blanking LSU 2-0 in Saturday’s semifinal showdown on the SEC Event. The No. 7 seed Rebels, now 40-18 on the season, rode a dominant four-man pitching efficiency to close down the No. 3 seed Tigers and punch their ticket to Sunday’s title matchup towards No. 4 Vanderbilt.
Freshman right-hander Cade Townsend set the tone for Ole Miss, delivering the very best outing of his younger profession. Sometimes a midweek arm, Townsend silenced one of many nation’s most explosive lineups with 4.2 shutout innings, permitting simply two hits and placing out three. Regardless of a season marked by inconsistency and a 6.67 ERA getting into the sport, Townsend appeared composed within the largest second of his faculty profession.
“He’s pitched effectively, however normally it’s an inning that will get him,” head coach Mike Bianco stated. “It’s not that he can’t deal with the second. It’s not that he’s not adequate to do that at its highest stage… and he did {that a} couple occasions as we speak in a giant atmosphere.”
Gunnar Dennis (4-1) relieved Townsend and earned the win after tossing 2.1 hitless innings. Will McCausland bridged the hole to nearer Connor Spencer, who delivered his third straight scoreless ninth inning to report his seventh save of the season. The Rebels’ pitching employees has now allowed simply three runs complete over their final three video games in Hoover.
Ole Miss punches their ticket to the SEC Championship recreation
Ole Miss gave its pitchers a lead early. First baseman Will Furniss opened the scoring along with his tenth dwelling run of the season within the high of the primary inning. Designated hitter Campbell Smithwick added an RBI single within the fourth to double the lead, giving the Rebels all of the offense they would want.
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LSU, now 43-14, struggled to get something going offensively. Regardless of sturdy efforts from their pitching employees—Jaden Noot, Chase Shores, and Jacob Mayers held Ole Miss to simply three hits—two early runs proved an excessive amount of to beat. Noot (2-1) was tagged with the loss regardless of a career-high seven strikeouts over 4 innings.
After the sport, LSU head coach Jay Johnson acknowledged his crew’s struggles however expressed confidence heading into NCAA Event play subsequent weekend.
“Nice job by Ole Miss,” Johnson stated. “They’ve clearly pitched very effectively right here. We’re enthusiastic about getting dwelling, getting some relaxation, and attending to work for regionals.”
For Ole Miss, the win not solely marked a milestone return to the SEC title recreation, but additionally continued a postseason run outlined by elite pitching and well timed hitting. Spencer, who’s now closed out wins over Florida, Arkansas, and LSU in Hoover, has turn out to be a rock on the again finish of the bullpen.
“When ‘Enter Sandman’ begins taking part in, you already know the opposite crew’s in bother,” Furniss stated of Spencer’s late-inning presence.
The Rebels will face Vanderbilt at midday CT Sunday with the SEC title on the road, using a wave of momentum—and a shutdown pitching employees—into their largest recreation of the 12 months.