Oh, Captain(s)! Seniors fittingly lead way on banner day for Ole Miss baseball
Ole Miss baseball on Saturday honored/recognized six seniors prior to first pitch of its second game of a critical, late-season series with No. 3 Texas A&M.
Four later went on to help fuel the Rebels and their simmering postseason hopes with a 10-2, series-clinching win. Ole Miss rallied for a 4-3 win on Friday.
Captain Reagan Burford clubbed his fourth home run to punctuate a five-run second inning. He later grinded out an 11-pitch at-bat for a sacrifice fly, as well as dazzled with his glove.
“Just being able to represent this university for my teammates, the fans (and) my family, that’s probably my favorite thing about being an Ole Miss Rebel,” Burford said in his official senior tribute video.
Burford, who was a member of the Rebels’ 2022 national championship team, has made three straight starts.
“I love the school so much,” he continued. “I’ve known I was coming here since I can remember. I knew I wanted to be an Ole Miss Rebel.”
All the seniors eating today 🍔@ethangroff12 | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/zwIYAyDYTf
— Ole Miss Baseball (@OleMissBSB) May 11, 2024
FAU transfer slugger Jackson Ross chipped in with a two-RBI single.
Ross is wrapping up his one and only Ole Miss season. He leads the SEC and ranks fourth in the NCAA in walks (52). Ethan Groff, a veteran transfer from Tulane and second-year Rebel, had an RBI double.
Ole Miss improved to 27-23 (11-15 SEC) overall with the win. The Rebels likely need 13 SEC wins to have a realistic shot at an NCAA Tournament bid.
“I’m just really proud of them and how they’ve hung together,” Rebel head coach Mike Bianco said to reporters afterwards. “They keep showing up. Each game is so precious right now.”
Infielder Bo Gatlin and reliever/captain Mitch Murrell were the only seniors who didn’t appear. Ole Miss will go for a potentially-season-turning sweep of the Aggies Sunday at 5 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
