What went wrong for Ole Miss bullpen after strong Taylor Rabe start vs UNC
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Everything had gone so well for Walker Hooks and Hudson Calhoun leading into the College World Series.
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They were Ole Miss baseball's most reliable relievers. They played huge parts in the Rebels' undefeated run through the NCAA Tournament regionals and super regionals — all road wins by three runs or fewer.
So even as Ole Miss was battling North Carolina late in the CWS opener on June 12, the Rebels seemed to be in a good spot. In came Calhoun in the sixth inning with the game tied. Then Hooks in the next inning with Ole Miss up by one run.
But it was those two pitchers who struggled after Taylor Rabe's strong start. The 2-1 lead flipped into a 6-2 loss for the Rebels (41-22) at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.
They now face elimination against Troy (38-31) on June 14 (1 p.m., ESPN).
Rabe held North Carolina (51-12-1) scoreless through five innings despite an elevated pitch count. He gave up a leadoff home run in the sixth inning to tie the game at 1-1, then exited after 5⅔ innings with two hits and four walks allowed on seven strikeouts and 108 pitches.
"It was all right," Rabe said of his start. "Not my best stuff, I would say. I was a little out of sync with four walks and something you can't do against this team."
Calhoun got the final out of the sixth inning but had trouble in the seventh inning. The leadoff North Carolina batter drew a walk, then advanced to second base on a wild pitch. The next batter, Colin Hynek, also reached on a walk.
That ended the game for Calhoun, only the third time all season he didn't pitch one full inning.
Hooks replaced Calhoun, and the first batter bunted the runners to second and third base. The Tar Heels tied the game at 2-2 on a sacrifice fly, then took a 3-2 lead on Gavin Gallaher's RBI single.
Hooks got the first two outs of the eighth inning before unraveling further. He hit a North Carolina batter on a 2-2 count, then allowed a double to Tyler Howe. Hynek followed it with a first-pitch three-run home run.
"So, we gave them seven free base runners," Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco said. "You can't do that. You can't do that when the game's on the line."
Calhoun (5-4, 4.05 ERA) took the loss, his first since April 25 against Georgia.
Meanwhile, Hooks' three runs allowed were tied for his most surrendered since his season debut Feb. 17 against Arkansas State.
"We've got to attack more, but some of that was their, I think, doing and being able to foul balls off and just grind out some ABs, just lengthening the at-bat until they ended up winning a final 3-2 pitch," Bianco said. "But again, we have to be better than that. We've got to make them — on this field, wind's blowing in — you've got to make them hit the ball somewhere."
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss baseball bullpen struggles in College World Series vs UNC