No. 17 Ole Miss coasts by 24th-ranked UNC Wilmington, 7-2, to open series
Josh McCoy
OXFORD | Ole Miss made an early five-run flurry hold up on Friday, using a four-run second inning and an effective David Parkinson start to knock off No. 24 UNC Wilmington, 7-2, to start the weekend series.
The No. 17 Rebels go for the series win Saturday at noon. Ole Miss sophomore right-hander James McArthur will oppose UNC Wilmington junior right-hander Josh Roberson.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Junior college transfer Chase Cockrell hit his first career home run, a solo shot during the third inning to put Ole Miss up 5-0 at the time. He went 2-for-4 with the RBI and two runs scored from the six spot in the lineup. He leads the team with four two-out RBIs and is hitting .391 on the season.
"I had no clue (it was a home run)," Cockrell said. "I had no clue, thought it was just a double in the gap. I knew I squared it up but didn't think it was going to go. I'm fortunate that it did."
IT WAS OVER WHEN...
... Dallas Woolfolk entered with two on and two outs in the seventh inning. Five days after the sophomore came in with the bases loaded, no one out and struck out the side, the right-hander fanned Kennard McDowell on four pitches to end the threat.
He finished the final two innings without allowing a hit for his second save of the season. Woolfolk threw 25 pitches, 17 strikes and has struck out 11 in 7.2 innings this season. The fastball got up to 95 MPH, and the offspeed offerings are also competent for the emerging shutdown reliever. He hasn't allowed a runner on the year.
"He's really grown up, and he looks terrific out there," Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said. "That fastball is in the low to mid 90s and locates it on both sides. He's not just a thrower, and the slider and three changeups. With that kind of velocity and mix it makes it tough on the other team."
