Vanderbilt Manages Only Six Hits in 6-1 Loss to No. 11 Ole Miss

Oxford, Miss. - Ole Miss starter Pete Montrenes limited Vanderbilt to five hits and one earned run in seven innings of work as the No. 11 Rebels defeated the Commodores 6-1 Saturday, April 6, at Swayze Field. A record crowd of 6,727 fans saw Ole Miss win its ninth consecutive game to improve to 24-7 and 7-4 in the Southeastern Conference while Vanderbilt dropped to 14-11 and 3-6 in the league.

Montrenes (7-2) struck out eight Commodores, walked one and allowed only two extra base hits. UM reliever T.J. Beam pitched the final two innings and gave up one hit and struck out two.

Vanderbilt starter Jeremy Sowers (3-3) pitched well in recording the first complete game of his career. He gave up a lead off infield single in the bottom of the first then retired 10 straight before running into troubles in the fourth inning. He ended the day allowing eight hits, six earned runs and two walks while striking out seven in eight innings of work.

Rebel right fielder Seth Smith hit a one-out single through the middle of the infield in the fourth inning to start the Ole Miss threat. Two batters later, designated hitter Josh Christian was hit by a Sowers pitch, putting two runners on base. First baseman Dustin Cliburn followed with a three-run home run to left field to put the Rebels up 3-0. It was Cliburn's second long ball of the season.

Ole Miss added a run in the fifth inning when center fielder Matt Mossberg stole home after reaching base on an infield hit.

Vanderbilt scored it lone run in the sixth inning, trimming the Ole Miss lead to 4-1. Shortstop Tony Mansolino doubled down the right-field line, advanced to third on a balk by Montrenes, and scored on an RBI single by third baseman Cesar Nicolas. The run was Vanderbilt's first in 18 innings dating back to the Commodores' game at Western Kentucky on April 3. VU was shutout by Ole Miss 9-0 in the series opener on Friday.

Ole Miss scored two more runs in the seventh inning on an RBI-double by third baseman Jonathan Swearingen and an RBI-single by shortstop Chad Sterbens.

Ole Miss right fielder Seth Smith led the Rebel attack with a 2-for-4 afternoon at the plate. He had an RBI and a run scored. Sean Luellwitz went 2-for-4 to lead all Commodore hitters.

Vanderbilt looks to avoid the series sweep Sunday. The series finale with Ole Miss begins at 1:30 p.m. CT.

-VU-