OXFORD — A monstrous sixth inning, as well as a pair of home runs from Thomas Dillard and Cooper Johnson, helped Ole Miss finish a series sweep of Tulane on Sunday.

The Rebels scored five times in the sixth inning, with Johnson delivering the big blow with a three-run home run, and went on to win 6-3.

Ole Miss improved to 7-0 on the year, marking the second consecutive year it has started with seven straight wins, and the third time in the past six years.

“We’ve been able to have that knack of being able to put big innings together throughout the year,” Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco told The Oxford Eagle. “Short season so far, but we’ve been able to get that big hit.”

Ole Miss had just three hits against Tulane’s Keagan Gillies (0-1) through the first five innings, including Thomas Dillard’s first home run of the season that tied it at 1 in the fourth.

Tulane (3-3) retook the lead in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Grant Witherspoon. Witherspoon finished the game with three hits, and Jonathon Artigues had two hits and scored twice.

Ole Miss chased Gillies by getting two of its first three batters on in the sixth before Will Golsan, Johnson and the rest of the Rebels went to work against three Tulane relievers.

Golsan delivered a two-run single to put the Rebels ahead 3-2, then Johnson crushed his second home run of the season over the left field wall to push the lead to 6-1.

Golsan had been mired in a 1-for-14 slump before his go-ahead single. He finished the game 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored, for his first multi-hit game of the season. He popped up and grounded out in his first two plate appearances Sunday.

“It’s a little hard (when you’re slumping), but you’ve just got to stay within yourself,” Golsan said. “You’ve got to tell yourself it’s going to come and you’re a good hitter.”

Will Stokes allowed one run in the eighth before Dallas Woolfolk retired all three batters he faced in the ninth for his fourth save of the season.

It was the 17th save of Woolfolk’s career, moving him one behind Scott Bittle for fourth on Ole Miss’ all-time list.

Jordan Fowler, the second of five Ole Miss pitchers used in the game, got the win by throwing one scoreless inning of relief. Starter James McArthur went 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits, but got a no-decision.

Ole Miss pitchers have allowed just thirteen earned runs through seven games so far this season.
Ole Miss will host Murray State on Tuesday night, then head to the West Coast for their first road games of the season.

The Rebels will play a three-game series at Long Beach State starting Friday night.

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The Oxford Eagle contributed to this report.