OXFORD, Miss.-Pitching just
one hour from his hometown in his ULM debut, Wil Browning was perfect in 2.2
innings of relief as the Warhawks stunned No. 17 Ole Miss and a crowd of 7,611
fans at Oxford-University Stadium defeating the Rebels 6-5 in the 2010 season opener Friday
evening. The Warhawks have now won three of their last four games against Southeastern Conference opponents, while the Rebels dropped their first season opener since 1981.
Browning, a native of
Kosciusko, Miss., entered the game in the seventh inning with a runner on first
base and one out. The junior college transfer calmly struck out both batters he faced in
the seventh and the first batter he faced in the eighth and finished the game
with four strikeouts as he picked up the save.
Browning was the only player from state of Mississippi to play in the game for either team.
ULM (1-0) broke open a 2-2
game with a four-run fifth inning. After stranding the bases loaded the inning
before, the Warhawks pounced on Ole Miss relief pitcher Rory McKean for all
four runs and four hits to take a 6-2 lead.
Matt Laird led off the inning
drawing a 10-pitch walk and one batter later scored on a Perry Smith double
down the line in left. Kelvin York followed with a single back up the middle to
score Smith and then Jarrett Hammond tripled to right to give the Warhawks a
5-2 lead. Caleb Clowers provided ULM's fourth-straight RBI hit with a single to
left-center to score Hammond.
The Rebels (0-1) answered in
their half of the frame as Matt Smith hit a two-run home run to straightaway
center field to end Drew Granier's night on the mound. Granier struck out five
batters and walked just one over 4.1 innings in his Warhawk debut. He allowed
four runs and scattered five hits.
The Warhawks chased preseason
All-American and Team USA pitcher Drew Pomeranz after just four innings of
work. ULM was able to work a lot of deep counts on the southpaw as Pomeranz
threw 99 pitches in his outing. He allowed a pair of runs on two hits to go
along with seven strikeouts and two walks.
Stefan Comeaux (1-0) picked up
the win for the Warhawks allowing a run on two hits in 1.1 innings out of the
bullpen. Matt Cawthon also pitched well out of the ULM bullpen retiring a pair
of batters to end the sixth and start the seventh before Browning took
over.
Boomer Blanchard and Clowers
each had a pair of hits for the Warhawks as they totaled 10 as a unit against
the Ole Miss pitching staff. David Phillips was the lone Rebel with multiple
hits as he finished with two.
Phillips pulled the Rebels within
the final 6-5 margin with a home run to straightaway center field
in the sixth off Comeaux.
The teams traded single runs
over the first three innings with the Warhawks striking in the first and third
frames and the Rebels scoring in the second and third.
The Warhawks loaded the bases
in the first inning as Blanchard led off the game with a single to right, Nick
Wade drew an eight-pitch walk and Josh Chappell reached on catcher's
interference. Perry Smith then hit a sharp ground ball at third base which Matt
Smith couldn't handle allowing Blanchard to score.
Ole Miss tied the game as Phillips
doubled with two outs in the second and Tanner Mathis followed with a single to
left.
ULM answered quickly against
Pomeranz in the top of the third as Jordy Poche led off the frame with an
infield single and Laird tripled to right center.
Grainer worked out of a bases
loaded jam in the third inning allowing just one run as he hit Zach Miller with
a 2-0 fastball with the bags full.
McKean (0-1) took the loss
after he allowed the four runs and four hits in just one-third of an inning.
The teams continue the
three-game series tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. The Warhawks will send junior
right-hander Josh Miller to the mound, while Ole Miss will counter with senior
right-hander Aaron Barrett.
