Posted on Fri, May. 02, 2008
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Rebels will be tested in Georgia
Bulldogs are SEC's top team this season
By JIM MASHEK
jwmashek@sunherald.com
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The Ole Miss Rebels are the only team in the SEC West sporting a winning record in league play.
And they'll be tested to stay there this weekend in Athens, Ga.
Ole Miss (30-17, 11-10 in the SEC) faces the league's No. 1 overall team this weekend when it plays the Georgia Bulldogs (29-14-1, 15-5-1) at Foley Field. Ole Miss dropped the final two games of its SEC home series last weekend against Arkansas.
With nine SEC games left, Ole Miss and Alabama have the upper hand to represent the SEC West in the eight-team league tournament held May 21-25 in Hoover, Ala. All six SEC East teams are over .500 in league play.
Ole Miss will send sturdy right-hander Lance Lynn (6-1, 3.58 ERA) to the mound tonight against Georgia, which will counter with right-hander Trevor Holder (6-2, 2.49). Freshman left-hander Drew Pomeranz will start for the Rebels on Saturday, followed by junior right-hander Cody Satterwhite on Sunday.
Mississippi State has all but been eliminated from SEC Tournament contention, but the Bulldogs (18-26, 6-15 in the SEC) won two of three games last week against Tennessee. State is on the road to face Auburn (24-22, 8-13) this weekend.
Junior right-hander Chad Crosswhite (2-3, 8.85) will start for the Bulldogs tonight, followed by sophomore right-hander Ricky Bowen on Saturday and Picayune's Justin Piggott, a senior left-hander, on Sunday.
Freshman left-hander Grant Dayton (6-1, 3.94) gets the start for Auburn tonight.
LSU (29-16-1, 9-11-1) still has a shot at the SEC Tournament, trailing Alabama for second place in the SEC West by just a half game. The Tigers are on the road to face Kentucky (34-11, 11-10) this weekend.
Junior left-hander Blake Martin (2-3, 4.71) will start for LSU tonight, while UK coach John Cohen will counter with junior left-hander Chris Rusin (4-2, 3.19).
LSU will play its final games at historic Alex Box Stadium next weekend against Mississippi State.
Jim Mashek can be reached at 896-2333
