Frizzell's grand slam lifts Aggies to series win over Ole Miss
May 9—COLLEGE STATION, Texas — When the game came down to best vs. best Texas A&M's best was better.
Will Frizzell put the Aggies in front with a seventh-inning grand slam off Ole Miss closer Taylor Broadway, and Texas A&M — which began the weekend with only five SEC wins — clinched the series against the No. 12-ranked Rebels with a 6-5 victory before 1,340 fans at Blue Bell Park Sunday afternoon.
It was the second home run of the game and fifth of the series for Frizzell who began the weekend with 13 home runs.
He also had the walk-off home run that won it for the Aggies in Game 1 on Friday. Two of his six RBIs on Sunday came in a first-inning home run off off Ole Miss starter Drew McDaniel that tied the game at 2.
The Rebels (33-14, 14-10 SEC) swept South Carolina a week ago but have now lost five of the last six conference series.
Before the Aggies (27-23, 7-17 SEC) locked it up with a fly out by Kevin Graham Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco was ejected by home plate umpire Brandon Cooper in the eighth inning.
It's the second time this season Bianco has been ejected.
"It's one we felt like we had, but it's baseball, and you've got to get all 27 outs," Bianco said. "We get the bases loaded, and you face the guy you don't want to face. Taylor was a pitch away."
McDaniel settled down and allowed no more run over his 4 2/3-innings appearance.
Hayden Leatherwood was 3 for 3 on the day and had two run-scoring hits as Ole Miss inched out to a 5-2 lead.
Jack Dougherty, the third Ole Miss pitcher, got a couple of big outs to get out of the sixth, but after he gave up a leadoff double in the seventh Bianco went to Broadway.
Broadway, the SEC saves leader with nine, was rested having not pitched in Games 1 or 2. He had walked only five batters in 29 2/3 innings but after back-to-back strikeouts issued back-to-back walks to bring Frizzell to the plate.
Broadway got ahead 0-2 but left a fastball high in the zone, and Frizzell homered to right-center, and the Aggies led 6-5.
Neither team scored again, though the Rebels threatened in the eighth.
Justin Bench and TJ McCants reached to lead off the inning. Bianco subbed Leatherwood with righty pinch-hitter Ben Van Cleve against left-handed reliever Chandler Jozwiak, and Van Cleve bunted the runners ahead.
Then Texas A&M coach Rob Childress intentionally walked Tim Elko, a righty-swinger, who had a pinch-hit home run in Saturday's 12-7 Ole Miss win.
The inning ended when Ole Miss designated hitter Calvin Harris, a lefty-swinger, hit into a 6-4-3 double play to strand three runners.
Jozwiak earned the win with 2 2/3 scoreless relief innings.
