University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
Ole Miss
Vols Rally To Defeat Ole Miss, 8-5
April 26, 2002 | Baseball
April 26, 2002
Oxford, Miss. -- Nick Crowe, Jordan Czarniecki and Walter Sevilla strung together three straight two-out RBI hits in the eighth inning as the Tennessee Volunteers overcame a 5-4 deficit to post an 8-5 victory over the No. 6 Mississippi Rebels in the first of a three-game series at Swayze Field.
Trailing by a run in the eighth, the Vols got back-to-back base hits from Matt Sternberg and Dennis Gomez to lead off the inning. Both moved up on pinch hitter Adam Smith's sacrifice. Following a strikeout, Nick Crowe poked a two-run double down the left field line past the drawn in third baseman. Crowe would then score on Czarniecki's double to left center, while he plated on Sevilla's base hit to right to give Tennessee its fourth win over a ranked opponent.
Ben Riley (3-3) got the win for Tennessee (22-22, 7-12 SEC) which pulled back to the .500 mark for the fourth time this season. Riley pitched his way out of jams the entire night as six Vol errors made it tough as he was touched for five runs (two earned) on 13 hits in 8 1/3 innings. He finished with six strikeouts and five walks.
Jeffery Terrell came on to retire the final two hitters for his fifth save.
Al Smiontis (4-1) took the loss for Mississippi (33-10, 12-7 SEC). T.J. Beam, who surrendered the tying and go-ahead runs, entered the game in relief of Simontis who was in line for the win after the Rebels retook the lead, 5-4, in the bottom of the sixth. Seth Smith scored on a double play after they loaded the bases on the sixth Tennessee error and two bunt hits.
Rebel starter J.R. Pickens was lifted in the sixth after giving up a home run to Dennis Gomez that tied the game 4-4. Pickens allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits in five-plus innings.
Czarniecki slugged his seventh home run of the season over the left field fence, while Brandon Hopkins later singled home Sevilla who singled to left, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball as the Vols took a 2-0 lead in the first.
The lead was short lived however, as the Vols committed three errors in the bottom of the inning helping the Rebels take a 3-2 lead.
With one out, Jonathan Swearingen and Smith recorded back-to-back singles, advancing up one base on Czarniecki's fielding error in center. Swearningen scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Mossberg, while Smith advanced and later plated on an error by Sevilla that allowed Chad Sterbens to reach. Sterbens then stole second, advanced to third and scored after third baseman Matt Sternberg's throw went wide of first on Josh Christian's infield hit.
After the Rebels extended the lead to 4-2 in the fourth when Charlie Waite scored on Smith's infield single, the Vols fought back to tie the game 4-4 in the sixth by plating single runs the next two innings.
Sevilla drew a walk leading off the fifth, advancing to third on a ground out and a fly out, respectively, before scoring on Pickens' wild pitch. Gomez then led off the sixth with his sixth home run to right to tie the game.
Game two of the series will be Saturday at 5 p.m. ET.
