Tennessee puts an end to No. 8 Ole Miss' 9-game win streak

OXFORD — Ole Miss' winning streak was going to come to an end at some point.

Tennessee just decided Friday night would be the most opportune time.

The Volunteers exploded for six runs in the seventh inning and withstood a late rally by the eighth-ranked Rebels to claim an 8-6 victory on the opening night of SEC play at Oxford-University Stadium.

"It was really kind of a weird game. I thought they outplayed us in all phases," Mike Bianco said. "I thought they hit better than we did, pitched better than we did, fielded better than we did."

In the second, Tennessee (13-6, 1-0 SEC) scored two runs off Ole Miss starter Ryan Rolison, which tied the game at 2-2.

Previously:What to make of No. 8 Ole Miss' 17-1 start to the season

Rolison settled in and held the Volunteers scoreless over the next four frames. Then he ran into trouble in the aforementioned seventh.

Jay Charleston led off with a single. The next batter reached on an error. Rolison threw a wild pitch. Then with two outs and a 3-2 count to Wyatt Stap, Rolison issued a walk and was taken out of the game.

"I didn't make a pitch on 3-2 on that guy and walked him," said Rolison, who said he felt good when he was taken out of the game. "It was the best situation to go to the pen there, and that's what coach thought."

Tennessee then got to Ole Miss' usually dependable bullpen with a two-run double and a three-run triple off Will Ethridge to blow the game open.

"So many times, we've been able to make the pitch and get off the field and we couldn't do that," Bianco said.

Ole Miss (17-2, 0-1) responded with four runs in the bottom of the seventh, three of which came off a Ryan Olenek home run. That home run knocked out Volunteers starter Garrett Crochet, who threw 6⅔ innings, allowed 10 hits and six runs but earned the win.

"He competed. He was throwing his fastball where he wanted, threw it well," said shortstop Grae Kessinger, who went 3-for-5. "I think late in the game we got on (base), wish we could have done that earlier but give credit to him for staying in the zone, making pitches and getting off the field."

The big inning allowed the Rebels to stay in the game and they brought the tying run to the plate in the eighth and ninth, respectively, only for double plays to end the threats and essentially their winning streak.

Rolison struck out 11 batters but suffered the loss, his second of the season. Brady Feigl takes the mound for Ole Miss Saturday at 1:30 in an attempt to even the series. 

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