OXFORD, MS — Ole Miss scored twice in the fourth inning for a 4-3 lead and the Rebels went on to a 5-4 win over East Carolina in the season opener Friday before a record crowd of 12,117 at Swayze Field.
The Pirates took a 1-0 lead as Dwanya Williams-Sutton led off the game with a home run.
Ole Miss tied the score in the bottom of the first as Ryan Olenek doubled, stole third and came home on a throwing error by Pirate catcher Travis Watkins.
Will Golsan’s solo homer to left put the Rebels ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the second.
Consecutive doubles by Spencer Brickhouse, Luke Bolka and T.J. Rials allowed ECU to take a 3-2 lead in the fourth.
Ole Miss answered in the bottom of the fourth after Chase Cockrell singled. He scored on a throwing error by center fielder Andrew Henrickson and a passed ball.
Golsan walked and scored on a double down the left field line by Thomas Dillard to put the hosts ahead to stay, 4-3.
The Rebels added an insurance run in the eighth after Matt Bridges relieved Evan Kruczynski. Tate Blackman was hit by a pitch. Olenek’s single moved him to second and Blackman came home on an RBI single by Cockrell.
That score proved decisive after Brickhouse’s solo homer to right center on a two-out, two-strike pitch in the ninth.
Brickouse and Bolka each had two hits and an RBI for the Pirates.
Kruczynski (0-1) yielded six hits and four runs, three of which were earned. The senior lefty struck out six and walked one.
David Parkinson (1-0) worked seven innings for the win. He allowed six hits and three runs, all earned. He fanned six and walked one. Will Stokes finished on the mound for the Rebels.
The second game of the three-game series is at 2:30 p.m. (ET) today.
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