Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 24

OARIONLEDGER.COM 2D THE CLARION-LEDGER SUNDAY, JUNE 6, 2004 Buiwogs: Ex-Mississippi State hurler on road to recovery battingaverage, Hunter has climbed ruiK laments club's missed opportunities ByToddKally ftllyclarlonld9f.com ATLANTA Former Mississippi State ace Paul Maholm still hopes to return to the mound this summer despite a frightening injury that left him bed-ridden for two weeks. Today's Games Georgia Tech vs. Texas Tech, noon (second game 30 minutes after first, if From ID i "I'm just looking forward to getting back to the everyday of going to the field and getting in the normal routine," said Maholm, who attended the Atlanta Regional on 4 team. Goodson, a designated hit-terrighthanded pitcher from Vicks-burg, and Bulldog outfielder Winston Pearson joined former MSU assistant Tun Case at Jacksonville. "I didn't pitched as much as I would have liked and didn't get a chance to hit much in the beginning of my last two seasons there," said Goodson, who had MSU's highest batting average in each of the last two seasons while playing in a part-time role.

"It wasn't a personal thing. It was just something I felt like I had to do." Goodson finished the season batting .305 with 50 RBIs and a team-high 17 homers. He also led the Gamecocks with eight saves. "It would take a long time to tell you what Robby meant to our program," Case said. "He's a steady, steady competitor.

It's almost like having two guys on the team because he's meant so much offensively and so much on the mound." Pearson, who was 0-for-5 y. to .311 in three regional games. He also turned in a pair of diving catches against Jacksonville State and another against Texas Tech. "Brad Corley (in right) is probably our slowest outfielder and he's not that slow," Bulldogs pitcher Jeff Lacher said. "Joseph and Jeff Butts can cover some ground for you.

Look at that fly-ball in the seventh inning. Corley didn't see it off the bat, but Joseph came all the way from center field to make a routine catch like he was a right fielder. Anytime the ball's in the air in the outfield, there's a chance for those guys to go get it." Bulldog reunion Jacksonville State's first trip to a Division I regional ended with a 7-6 loss to Mississippi State on Saturday, but one Gamecock delivered a performance he'll long remember. Playing in his final college game, JSLTs Robby Goodson slugged a pair of home runs against his former Maholm time All-SEC pick and the eighth overall pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the draft last June, was 1-3 with a 1.84 ERA in 44 innings. "It's unfortunate because I'd actually gotten into a groove where I was throwing and felt good," Mahom said.

Maholm hopes to begin soft-toss throwing within two weeks and perhaps begin some rehabilitation stints on the mound in late July. Big game Hunter After going 4-for-4 in Friday's loss to Texas Tech, MSU center fielder Joseph Hunter single, homered and singled in his first three at bats in a 7- Friday and Saturday to watch his alma mater and former teammates. "Hopefully, when I get out there, it'll be like a normal day." Maholm was sidelined May 15 when he took a wicked line drive in the face while pitching for the Lynchburg (Va.) Hillcats of the Class A Carolina League. He had surgery six days later to repair broken orbital bones near his left eye. Prior to the injury, Maholm, a two- John Ami The Associated Press MSU pitcher Jeff Lacher picked up the victory against Jacksonville State despite giving up 10 hits and 6 runs in the Bulldogs' 7-6 win.

6 victory over Jacksonville State. Hunter went l-for-3 in the nightcap, a 14-7 loss to Texas Tech. After entering the postseason with a .284 i 1 1 f- -A yi 1 Rick Guy The Clarion-Ledger Ole Miss designated hitter Brian Pettway slides across home plate to score Ole Miss' first during the second day of the NCAA Oxford Regional. The Huskies took a 7-2 victory, end-run in the fourth inning as Washington catcher Aaron Hathaway futilely tries to tag him out ing the Rebels' season and extending their losing streak to six games. Washington earns second shot at Tulane By Michal Wallac mwaHaceclarlonledger.com Today's Games Tulane vs.

Washington, 1 p.m. (second game 45 minutes after first, if necessary) the questions afterward. "I don't know," said Ramsey, whose ERA rose from 2.27 to 3.54 after Saturday. "I told somebody before the game that my fastball felt a little tight. My curveball felt a little fast, which isn't good for me.

It went from a reliever's dream to a reliever's nightmare real quick. That's what I wanted all tournament to have a chance to have the ball in my hand with the game on the line. I felt like that's what the team wanted, too. I felt like I had a great year, but it just fell apart on me." Corey Gerstner, 8-1, got the win in relief for the Red Raiders, 40-20. The Bulldogs chased Texas Tech starter Steve Gooch by tallying five runs in the first three innings.

"I kept thinldngwith the way they were hitting, if we could just stay close, we could make a run," Texas Tech coach Larry Hays said. "When they brought in Ramsey, I thought we might have waited too late." The defeat left Polk at 999490-2 at MSU entering 2005. The Bulldogs were searching for the program's first Super Regional bid since 2001, the season before Polk left Georgia and returned to Starkville. "It's been one of those years," Polk said. "For the most part, it was a season of opportunities missed, especially for SEC games on Sunday.

It was to the point where a good season could have been an outstanding one for a good young ballclub." MSU 7, Jacksonville State 6 Joseph Hunter had three hits, including a solo homer in the fifth and a two-run single in the seventh, to pace the Dogs in the opener. Jeff Lacher, 5-6, went 8 innings before being lifted after three-run blast by ex-Bulldog Robby Good-son. Two batters earlier, Lacher had received a mound visit from MSU trainer Jay Logan after taking a hard-hit grounder off his left calf. "We did have some opportunities to score some runs early, but Jeff Lacher got very tough when we had runners on base," said JSU coach Jim Case, a former MSU assistant who helped recruit Lacher for the Bulldogs. "I thought he gave a tremendous effort." USM: Hitting records fall for Eagles From ID USM senior pitcher Anthony DeWitt had allowed just three hits through six innings, but the Tigers picked up four hits and two walks off DeWitt, 10-3, and reliever Adam Smith.

"There's usually one or two innings where it's about whether you can get (rallies) stopped or not," DeWitt said. "We couldn't, get that one stopped." Hoffpauir went 2-of-4 with an RBI against LSU. That gave him 107 hits, breaking Michael Art-man's single-season record of 106. He also became the first Golden Eagle to reach 90 RBIs in a season. Maddox's 15th homer of the year off LSU starter Nate Bum-stead, 10-3, gave USM a 1-0 lead, but Jon Zeringue, the co-Playerof the Year in the Southeastern Conference this year, tied the game in the fourth inning with his 12th homer of the year and his first since April 24.

USM grabbed a 2-1 lead when Beau Griffin walked, moved to third on back-to-back grounders and scored when Hoffpauir ripped a double down the left-field line. But the Golden Eagles left runners in scoring position in four of the first five innings, and failed to expand their lead while DeWitt held the Tigers at bay. LSU designated hitter Nick Stavinoha tied a school record with three doubles. USM had concerns about its offensive prowess heading into the season. Instead, the Golden Eagles turned out to be one of the most prolific teams in school Hoffpauir's two-run single in the third inning against Charleston Saturday night not only gave him 92 RBIs on the year but the Golden Eagles 456 RBIs as a team.

That topped the record 454 RBIs collected by last year's squad. Maddox hit his 16th homer of the season in the fifth inning, giving the Golden Eagles 90 on the year. That was second-best in school history, trailing the 95 hit by the 1997 team. The 2003 and 1998 teams each hit 89 home runs. tion from the left-field lounge area before it gathered for its usual post-game huddle in the outfield.

Still a strong season Mike Bianco could not disguise the disappointment in his voice following the Rebels' much-earlier-than-expected departure from the postseason after Saturday's 7-2 loss to Washington. But the fourth-year Ole Miss coach was quick to point out the team's accomplishments this year. The Rebels hosted a regional for the first time in school history, advanced to the NCAA postseason for the third time in four years and set regular-season records for both overall wins (39) and SEC victories (18). Ole Miss also cracked the 100,000 home attendance mark for the first time in school history. "It's tough when you lose that final game and the season ends," Bianco said.

"You're never prepared for what to say. But it was a tremendous year. We've done some things that have never been done here before. We still have a ways to go, but we'll be back." Maloney offers relief Ole Miss sophomore Matt Maloney responded well to a sooner-, than-expected relief appearance in Saturday's 7-2 loss to Washington. The lefty from Huron, Ohio, came in to finish out the first after starter Mark Holliman gave up five runs in just of an inning.

Maloney matched his season's longest outing by going eight complete innings and finished with a career-high nine strikeouts. It was the third outing this season when he had five or more strikeouts without issuing a walk. "I thought I pitched pretty well," said Maloney, who finished the season 1-3. "I wanted to go out and put up a bunch of zeros on the board and not let them score. I hoped our bats would come alive." to a super regional for the first time since 2001.

Washington is playing to get to its first super regional since the NCAA went to the current regional format in 1999. Boos bother Babineaux The last thing Ole Miss senior left fielder Charlie Babineaux thought he'd hear Saturday were a few scattered boos from the home crowd at O-U Stadium. But a few Ole Miss fans did not hide their frustrations in the sixth inning after a weird moment at the plate from junior Barry Gunther. Underscoring the Rebels' offensive struggles, Gunther was facing a 3-1 count when he swung and missed a pitch from Washington's Kyle Parker. Gunther thought he had just taken his third strike and began walking toward the Ole Miss dugout.

He eventually turned around and returned to the plate only to swing wildly and miss the very next pitch from Parker. OXFORD Benefitting from a couple of dominant pitching performances, Washington battled through the losers bracket on Saturday to line up another shot today against the team that put it there. The No. 2 seed Huskies, 39-19-1, will face No. 3 seed Tulane, 40-19, in the Oxford Regional final.

Washington must beat Tulane twice today to advance to a best-of-three supef regional next week. Tulane got to today's final by cruising through the winners bracket with a 7-0 win Saturday afternoon over No. 4 seed Western Kentucky. The Huskies, who eliminated host and No. 1 seed Ole Miss with a 7-2 win earlier in the day, then put the finishing touches on the toppers with a 4-1 victory in Saturday's nightcap at O-U Stadium.

Washington will try to avenge a 3-2 loss to the Green Wave Friday. With a victory, Tulane will advance A group of fans in the area above the Ole Miss dugout began to boo as Gunther walked off the field. It was one of 13 strikeouts by the Rebels over their two losses at the regional this weekend. Ole Miss, which has had problems generating offense the past month, produced just three runs in two games. "We had some fans who were a little upset," said Babineaux, one of eight seniors who played their final game on Saturday.

"I wish we could have done better for people who showed up the last two days." The team did get a standing ova Rebels: Trailed 5-0 before 1st at-bat Cleveland: Rebels took nosedive From ID From ID Naturally, the Rebels' post-game press conference was far from upbeat. "I know you guys have to look for an answer, but I can't tell you why (this happened) Bianco said. "If we knew why, we'd stop it from happening I don't have that answer." Babineaux, a senior who had just played his last college game, appeared slightly peeved by the negative tone of reporters' questions. "It's disappointing to hear so much negative talk right now when we have done so many good things this season," Babineaux said. "We were one game from the SEC Championship and we hosted a regional for the first time." He was right.

But it's a fact of life in sports: The higher you climb, the more disappointing it becomes when you fall. Future looks bright There are more positives. Stephen Head, who homered and singled Saturday, won the first Ferriss Trophy as the state's best collegiate player. He's only a sophomore and will be back. There's more.

Ole Miss set an attendance record by more than 1,000 fans per game this season. Eight of the top 15 home crowds in Ole Miss history came this year. Baseball has become important at Ole Miss. But, again, all that just made the late-season nosedive all the more disappointing. The Rebels have learned how to start.

They must learn to finish. Contact Columnist Rick Cleveland at (601) 961-7210 or ing an offense that scored three runs in two regional games and had more strikeouts (13) than hits (9). Ole Miss was held scoreless in 32 of the final 37 innings it has played this season. The Rebels batted just .150 in the regional and .183 over their last four games, which also included a similar two-and-done showing in last week's SEC Tournament. When asked if he was surprised that Ole Miss batters kept chasing pitches outside the zone, Parker put it mildly: "Yeah.

They weren't swinging at all strikes." But Parker also had the luxury of taking the mound in the bottom of the first with his team ahead 5-0. Holliman was rocked by Washington, from the moment he tossed his first pitch in a marathon first inning that resulted in his worst career outing. The Rebels' sophomore ace gave up three hits and a walk to the first four Washington batters, including a lead-off double to Brent Lillibridge and consecutive RBI singles to Zach Clem and Kyle Larsen. Holliman, struggling to locate his slider and facing batters who were sitting on his usually dominant fastball, didn't record his first out until throwing his 25th pitch. He struck out the next two batters, but then fell back into trouble again when Aaron Hathaway smoked a fastball to the right-center gap to drive in two more runs.

Holliman then walked John Otness and watched another run score on Taylor Johnson's single. Holliman was pulled for Matt Maloney after walking the next batter. The final damage: five runs, five hits and three walks on 47 pitches for Holliman, who stormed off the field and directly into the clubhouse after just two-thirds of an inning. "They came out swinging and got into a rhythm," said Holliman, 9-3, who took the loss for his 32-minute outing. "They were sitting on first-pitch fastballs and forced me to another pitch.

They jumped all over it. I couldn't find the zone." Among Ole Miss' few highlights were Stephen Head's homer in the sixth that pulled the Rebels' to within 6-2 and a career-high nine strikeouts by Maloney. But those feats provided little consolation for the Rebels. Some players said the team's early exit will make it too painful to stick around for today's regional final. "I don't have any intentions of coming back here," senior outfielder Charlie Babineaux said.

'hours after No. 1 seeded Ole Miss, 39-21, was knocked into the losers bracket following a 1-0 loss to No. 4-seeded Western Kentucky Friday night. Ole Miss is just the fourth host to go two-and-out since the NCAA went to the 16-site, four-team regional format in 1999. It is also the team's quickest exit in 10 postseason appearances.

"We have nobody to blame for this but ourselves," Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco said after his team's sixth straight loss. "The bottom line is when you get to the postseason, you have to play well. And we didn't do that the past two days." An increasingly anemic Rebel offense made yet another previously unheralded hurler look like a contender for national pitcher of the year. Freshman right-hander Kyle Parker fought off the flu and tossed the first complete game by a Washington pitcher this season. Parker, 4-3, scattered seven hits, struck out seven and allowed just one walk on 126 pitches.

Perhaps the most revealing statistic was that 24 of Ole Miss' 27 outs were on balls that didn't leave the infield. But not even Parker could take full credit for handcuff- Miss. That came just a few hours after Western Kentucky blanked Ole Miss 1-0 Friday night. The Rebels, who roared into this season like lions, went out with a feeble whimper. Or maybe what we heard here Saturday was just a tired sigh.

The Rebels won 31 of their first 37 games and were ranked as high as No. 4 in the nation. They finished No. 4, too No. 4 in a four-team tournament.

At home. As the top seed. Ouch! Rebels lose power Thus, the Rebels finish with six straight defeats and losers of 15 of their final 23. That's right From 31-6, to 39-21. Such a collapse can hardly be blamed on one facet of the sport.

Clearly, when you lose 15 of 23 and six straight, you are doing more than one thing wrong. Just as clearly, the biggest factor in the Rebels' demise was a power outage. Put simply, the Rebels quit hitting. A slump that began in mid-April only worsened. In the two NCAA games, the Rebels produced nine hits in 59 at-bats, a batting average of .153.

On Friday night, the Rebels were shut out by a pitcher that never had thrown a complete game. On Saturday, the Rebs were shut down, if not out, by a pitcher who had never thrown a complete game, pitching for a team that hadn't previously had a complete game. What's more, 24 of the Rebels' 27 outs were recorded within the confines of the infield. ft I.