Bianco hopes Rebels walk to better weekend against Belmont
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Mar. 4—OXFORD — Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco believes his team got better on offense in the mid-week.
You have to peel back the layers to see that improvement, but it came in the form of discipline at the plate that could lead to better things against Belmont this weekend.
The first of three games against the Nashville-based Bruins of the Ohio Valley Conference is tonight at 6:30 at Swayze Field.
First pitch times are set for 1:30 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.
Fourth-ranked Ole Miss (7-2) was No. 1 when it hit just .235 against Central Florida and lost two games last weekend.
The Rebels outscored Memphis and Jackson State by a combined 28-5 in games on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Ole Miss hit .305 in those games but each time had far more runs than hits.
The Rebels might have hit better if Memphis and JSU pitchers had thrown it near the strike zone more. Bianco, though, was pleased to see his team draw 24 walks in the two games, 14 walks against Memphis and 10 against JSU.
The team batting average was lower against better pitching by UCF, but the biggest difference last weekend was that when the Rebels did hit fewer people were on base, Bianco said.
"We made it too easy on their pitchers. Even though we didn't get a lot of hits the toughest thing for us this past weekend was those pitchers pitched pressure-free. The walks not only give you a free base, but they put so much pressure on the other team as you can see the last two days," Bianco said.
One of the goals for the mid-week was to win the 3-2 count. Bianco said the Rebels drew 11 walks in 14 3-2 counts against Memphis and JSU.
Belmont is 3-2 with wins against North Alabama, Northern Kentucky and Creighton, the latter two one-run seven-inning games.
The Bruins are hitting .269 and pitching with a 4.62 earned run average. Opponents are hitting .199 against them.
Ole Miss carries a .260 batting average into the weekend.
"The homers and hits are neat, and we're going to get them," Bianco said, "but when they walk you, you need to walk. The best offenses we've had here took walks. Thomas Dillard, he was such a great offensive player, but one of the great things Thomas Dillard did was walk."
