Ole Miss routs Arkansas to even Fayetteville Super Regional

Ole Miss pitcher Doug Nikhazy throws a pitch during an NCAA super regional game against Arkansas on Sunday, June 9, 2019, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE — The NCAA Fayetteville Super Regional is going to a decisive Game 3 following consecutive days of blowouts.

One day after losing by nine runs, No. 18 Ole Miss returned the favor Sunday with a 13-5 victory over No. 5 Arkansas to tie the best-of-three series at a game apiece.

The teams are scheduled to play again Monday at 3 p.m.

The Rebels (41-26) bashed Arkansas pitchers with 12 hits, including four home runs. Ole Miss also drew eight walks, four of which came during a five-run second inning that put the Rebels ahead 8-2.

Tyler Keenan had the big hit in the inning, a bases-loaded triple that put the Rebels ahead 7-2. Arkansas reliever Kole Ramage loaded the bases with three walks before giving up the triple.

Ramage was one of three Arkansas relievers who combined to throw 152 pitches after starter Connor Noland recorded just three outs.

Noland allowed four runs - three on Cole Zabowski’s home run in the first inning and another on Cooper Johnson’s solo home run to lead off the second.

Arkansas (45-18) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Dominic Fletcher homered off Ole Miss starter Doug Nikhazy with two outs.

The Razorbacks added three more against Nikhazy in the fourth inning when Trevor Ezell, Casey Martin and Matt Goodheart had consecutive two-out RBI doubles to pull Arkansas within 8-5.

Nikhazy pitched 5 innings to earn the win for the Rebels. The freshman left hander allowed 5 runs on 10 hits and 1 walk, and struck out 8 batters.

Arkansas had 12 hits Sunday, but stranded nine base runners. The Razorbacks were 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position and 7-for-22 with runners on base.

Ole Miss scored three on Tyler Keenan’s solo home run and Anthony Servideo’s two-run single in the sixth inning to go ahead 11-5. All three runs came against Arkansas reliever Kevin Kopps.

Elijah Trest allowed a two-run home run to Grae Kessinger in the seventh inning to cap the Ole Miss scoring. Kessinger, a second-round draft pick last week, has hit a home run in each game of the super regional.