Offense Goes Cold as Rebels Drop Series Opener vs. Maryland

The Rebels dropped their first game of the season on Friday night.

OXFORD, Miss. -- The No. 4 Ole Miss Rebels struggled offensively and suffered their first loss of the season on Friday night, falling to the No. 13 Maryland Terrapins 9-2 at Swayze Field.

In lieu of Hunter Elliott’s injury last weekend, the Rebels turned to Jack Dougherty on the mound for Friday night’s start. Dougherty worked four innings of six-hit, three-run run ball in the loss, including getting into a bases-loaded jam in the second inning that plated two Maryland runs.

The Rebels responded in the bottom half of that inning after Calvin Harris hit a leadoff single and worked his way around the bases to score. Maryland would strike again in the fifth inning with a run off of Dougherty, after which the ball was given to righty Mitch Murrell out of the bullpen.

Later in the contest, the Terrapins pushed across five runs in the seventh that essentially sealed the Rebels' fate on Friday. In total, Ole Miss utilized five pitchers in the loss.

At the plate, the Rebels struggled to string together consistent at-bats, scattering six hits as a team on the night. Anthony Calarco and Calvin Harris led the way with two apiece, and Maryland, by comparison, put up 13 hits as a team. 

With the loss, Ole Miss falls to 4-1 overall on the season, and it will return to action against the Terrapins on Saturday afternoon in Oxford. First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.

---

You can follow John Macon on Twitter at @JMakeGillespie.

Hey Rebel Fans! Want to see the Ole Miss in action? Get your Ole Miss game tickets from SI Tickets here!

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Rebels? Click Here.

Follow The Grove Report On Facebook and Twitter.

Want even more Ole Miss Rebels News? Check out the SI.com team page here.