Bullpen Struggles as Rebels Drop Game One of Series vs. Florida

Ole Miss could not hold on with a lead in game one of Saturday's doubleheader.

OXFORD, Miss. -- The No. 13 Ole Miss Rebels lost a late lead in game one of Saturday's doubleheader against the No. 3 Florida Gators, falling 9-7 at Swayze Field.

The Rebels fell behind 1-0 in the top of the first, but they claimed a 2-1 lead in the bottom half off of RBIs from Jacob Gonzalez and Kemp Alderman. Florida would go on to tie the game in the top of the fourth, but a three-spot in the bottom half gave Ole Miss a lead it held through the seventh inning.

In the top of the eighth, however, Florida registered four runs and pushed across two in the ninth to secure the comeback win on the road.

In total, six Rebels accounted for an RBI on the day, but it was late-game pitching that proved to be their undoing.

Jack Dougherty began the game on the hill for Ole Miss, working 4.2 innings of five-hit, three-run ball in the outing. He gave way to Mitch Murrell in the fifth inning, and although he did not surrender a run, he was relieved by Mason Nichols and Sam Tookoian who combined to give up six.

Cole Ketchum was also called upon in the ninth inning to extinguish a jam and keep the Gators' lead at three runs. Ole Miss was able to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning, but it could only muster one run, sealing the loss.

With the loss, the Rebels drop to 0-4 in SEC play following being swept by Vanderbilt last weekend. Ole Miss will look to gain its first conference win on Saturday night in game two of the doubleheader with first pitch coming one hour after the conclusion of game one.

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