Ole Miss Rebels vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs

[rebeljim]

Well, last week went poorly. The chances of hosting are pretty much gone now. If Ole Miss could win the last two series against MSU and LSU, they would position themselves strongly as a two seed in regional play. This team just doesn't have bats, and that's not going to miraculously change. The only hope for much postseason success comes by winning some very tight games with our strong pitching staff. The relief pitchers haven't been at their best lately, but we know they're capable of strong play. As for Mississippi State, they could be trouble.

Game Times

Friday - 6:30 CT

Saturday - 4:00 CT

Sunday - 1:00 CT (CSS)

Mississippi State Probable Starters

Friday - Luis Pollorena (Sr. LHP) - Luis Pollorena is currently 6-2 with a 3.92 ERA in 15 appearances (8 starts). Through 59.2 innings pitched, Pollorena has allowed 29 runs (26 earned) off 57 hits. Luis has 54 strike outs to go along with 30 walks. He has also allowed a team high 15 extra base hits this season. Opponents are hitting .256 off him this season. Pollorena posts a career record of 16-7.

Saturday - Kendall Graveman (Sr. RHP) - Kendall Graveman is the unquestioned ace of the MSU pitching staff. Graveman is currently 5-4 with a 2.47 ERA through 12 starts. Through 76.2 innings pitched, Graveman has allowed 29 runs (21 earned) off 75 hits. Graveman is giving up more hits this season as compared to the past few seasons, but he is getting a good amount of double plays keeping runners from crossing home plate. Kendall has 50 strike outs to go along with 19 walks. Opponents are hitting .260 off him this season. Graveman has a career 16-12 record.

Sunday - Jacob Lindgren (Soph. LHP) - Jacob Lindgren is currently 4-2 with a 3.44 ERA through 11 starts. Through 59.2 innings pitched, Lindgren has allowed 22 runs (18 earned) off 57 hits. Jacob has struck out 58 batters while walking 14. Opponents are hitting .234 against him this season, and Jacob has only allowed 5 extra-base hits this season.

Other Pitchers to Keep an Eye on:

Ross Mitchell - Mitchell is usually the first man out of the bullpen for the Bulldogs. He has a 9-0 record with a 1.32 ERA this season. The Rebels will be seeing this man a lot over the weekend.

Jonathan Holder - This sophomore close is having another tremendous year. You may remember last year when he set the MSU record for scoreless innings streak at 27.1 innings. He only allowed a single earned run and finished the year with a 0.32 ERA. Thus far this season he is 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA with 13 saves.

Chad Girodo - Girodo has a 4-1 record with a 1.16 ERA. Only allowed 3 earned runs in 23.1 innnigs.


Team Pitching Ranks in Conference:


●4th in ERA (2.58) (OM 5th at 2.68)
●4th in opposing batting average (.219) (OM 5th at .233)
●1st in strikeouts (410) (OM 7th with 353)
●3rd in hits allowed (346) (OM 5th with 378)
●4th in runs allowed (157) (OM 5th with 169)
●T-8th in walks allowed (164) (OM 11th with 172)
●4th in HR allowed (15) (OM 8th with 21)



Pitching Ranks Nationally


●MSU is 10th nationally in ERA (OM is 13th nationally)
●MSU is 14th nationally in WHIP
●MSU is 8th nationally in Hits Allowed per 9 Innings

As you can see, the MSU staff is pretty similar to the Ole Miss staff, so you should know what to expect out of the MSU pitchers. The biggest thing that stands out is that MSU is 1st in the SEC in strikeouts and 2nd in the SEC in strike outs looking with 146 while Ole Miss has struck out the 3rd least in the SEC this season 'll be honest, I figured that number would have been more like 3rd most rather than 3rd least). MSU is 12th nationally with 8.4 strike outs per 9 innings. I think that will be a key matchup this weekend as Ole Miss should get some men on base but can they avoid the strike outs in crucial situations (History seems to not be in Ole Miss' favor this weekend). If you like pitching, then this is going to be a fun weekend for you. If State can get the ball to Mitchell and/or Holder with a lead then it may be a rough weekend for the Diamond Rebels.

MSU's Offense

MSU is 7-7 on the road this year and averages 6.3 runs per game this year (4.5 in conference play)

Batting Stats (sorry these don't paste well)

Season Stats Avg HR RBI SLG% OBP% SB/ATT SO/BB
.294 24 275 .406 .394 51/67 316/222
Conference .268 16 107 .369 .359 13/20 173/94

Individual Conference Stats

Avg HR RBI SLG% OBP% SB/ATT SO/BB
Hunter Renfroe .368 9 20 .724 .491 3/5 17/21
Brett Pirtle .345 1 12 .417 .444 3/3 12/6
Sam Frost .345 0 1 .379 .375 3/3 7/1
Jacob Robson .294 0 6 .324 .351 0/0 8/3
CT Bradford .290 0 11 .301 .368 1/1 17/8
Wes Rea .284 4 20 .489 .369 0/0 26/8

As you can see, the pop in this lineup comes from Renfroe and Rea as they have hit 13 of the 16 MSU home runs in conference play. MSU does not steal alot of bases and they have a 1.84 SO/BB ratio.

I personally think it's very likely that Mississippi State takes two of these games even playing in Oxford. A sweep isn't out of the question, but Bobby Wahl is just so good.

http://www.redcuprebellion.com/2013/5/1 ... review-and

[rebelliousb]

Wahl threw 15 pitches and coach OCD says he may be done for the weekend. Rain delay after State bats in the first. Rebs upbto bat in the bottom of the first tomorrow at 3:00.

[rebangel]

We need Bobby to "man up"!

[Heath]

If he wants him to rest, then maybe Bobby can rest Saturday, then pitch on Sunday. The LSU series starts on Thursday. So, maybe Bobby could pitch on Friday (game II) vs. LSU. That would still give him 5 days' rest. Just a thought.

[jrebel87]

If Bobby doesn't pitch today then we may not win a game the entire series. We have no other viable pitcher beyond a inconsistent Meyers. I don't think we should be concerned about saving him for LSU......it doesn't matter what we do against those guys. They look unstoppable.

[rebeljim]

Why did Mike start Wahl last night? Everyone knew the rain was on it's way, and the game wouldn't last long. Now there's a chance we don't get to use our best pitcher.

[lewindha]

Why did Mike start Wahl last night? Everyone knew the rain was on it's way, and the game wouldn't last long. Now there's a chance we don't get to use our best pitcher.

Holy crap!

The man can do no right with you.

[rebelbear]

Why did Mike start Wahl last night? Everyone knew the rain was on it's way, and the game wouldn't last long. Now there's a chance we don't get to use our best pitcher.

He's starting Game 3 tomorrow.

[rebelbear]

If Bobby doesn't pitch today then we may not win a game the entire series. We have no other viable pitcher beyond a inconsistent Meyers.

The prophet has spoken.

[jrebel87]

Rebelbear, you can't give one example(in sec play) besides what happened yesterday that shows that we have other viable pitchers beyond our starters. You want to know why? Because we've lost more series then we've won this season. We have lost 6 one run sec games because the bullpen didn't pan out. Even though we won yesterday, look at the second game. We still gave up 17 hits, 8 runs, and state left 12 guys stranded. The last pitcher up, Bailey, should have been taken out in the 8th before he gave up 4 straight runs to make the game 10-8. It just so happens that for once this season Bianco's management didn't come back to bite us. Its great we won yesterday, but the question has to be asked is it to late and has to little been done to secure us a regonal? I think so, because even if we sweep today we still have the best team in the country up next week. I think everyone agrees that we would have to secure the sweep today and sweep LSU next week (followed by making it to the semi-finals or better in the sec tournament) to host now.

[Titles 'R Us]

I enjoyed getting the best of Cohen and taking the series, of course. State is State. But it frustrates me no end to know that those six games we gave away--yes, they didn't win 'em, we gave 'em away due to bullpen mismanagement and errors--to A & M, Kentucky and Auburn are now coming back to bite us. We'd be 20-6 right now if we had simply taken care of business against three of the weaker teams in the league. At 20-6 we'd be looking at a probable national seed, not just hosting.

Today I hope Wahl will be on, and we'll sweep. State is State.

[rebelbear]

jrebel, you are as full of BS as anyone I've ever seen on this site, and that's saying a lot considering the number of Arkie trolls that have come through. My comment above was directed at the fact that you didn't think we would a single game yesterday without BW pitching. He didn't pitch and not only did we win one game, we won two games and clinched the series. Only one team has shut out MSU this year and that was us; only one team has scored double-digit runs on MSU this year and guess who that was as well. Yet, you come on here and *beep* that we gave up too many hits and too many runs in game 2 even though WE WON THE GAME AND THE SERIES. You say MSU left 12 runners stranded, sounds to me like we had some pitchers doing a helluva job getting out of jams, yet you *beep* about the number of hits we gave up.

And btw, yesterday we surpassed the amount of wins you predicted for the season...and we're also up 6-0 in the middle of the 4th. IF we hold on and sweep I'm sure you will find something else to come on here and *beep* about, but do us all a favor and take it to sixpack speak...I'm sure you fit in over there much better.

[jrebel87]

Actually we're losing bro.

[jrebel87]

And furthermore, don't you dare compare me to leg humpers simply because I disagree with your blind misplaced faith in a coach who has overstayed his usefulness . The facts can't be ignored yet you continue to bash anyone who goes against your "beliefs." Oh and for the record, I said it would be hard to win if wahl didn't okay this weekend , I didn't say we wouldn't. It's great we won yesterday but as of now we just gave up 7 runs in a row and are losing. But it's okay because Bianco knows what he's doing. He doesn't want to make it to easy .

[Titles 'R Us]

Anytime a Bianco team encounters expectations of any kind at crunch time with something at stake any time--early in the season, middle of the season, late in the season and even within a game, you can count on a meltdown. 7-6 Bulldogs happened because once again Bianco didn't take the hint that Wahl needed to be pulled after getting into a huge jam and letting State back in it. Reminded me of the second Memphis State game in which Bianco let them score 4 runs before pulling Laxer. The way we lost this Sunday game is the essence of the way Bianco manages the program. I can't support it, no matter what. For those of you that do, you're welcome to it. It's not championship baseball. Never will be.