While the Ole Miss offense as a whole is much improved Ryan Olenek has become its poster child.
Olenek, a utility player who has mostly started in right field, is on a 16-game hitting streak that dates back to the first game of the Texas A&M series on March 22.
He was 2 for 2 and scored a run in the Rebels’ 10-3 win over Arkansas State on Wednesday.
While the search for bullpen answers continues an Ole Miss offense that hit just .253 a year ago has blossomed into one with the potential to carry its pitchers.
As Georgia (26-11, 9-6 SEC) visits this week Ole Miss (30-8, 8-7) is hitting a collective .306, third in the SEC. Start times at Swayze Field are 6:30 tonight and 1:30 both Saturday and Sunday.
“We definitely are very confident. We’re starting to realize how good we really are. Offensively, we’re hard to pitch to,” Olenek said.
In spite of the numerical success on offense the Rebels are 2-4 in their last six SEC games. In dropping both ends of a Sunday doubleheader at Vanderbilt — scoring seven runs in each game — the Rebels not only lost back-to-back series but lost back-to-back games for the first time.
Olenek’s average has climbed from .296 at the beginning of the streak to team-leading .403. He’s second in the SEC, joining Florida’s Jonathan India as the only players above .400.
nMSU: There is always a buzz around Mississippi State’s baseball program each year when Super Bulldog Weekend rolls around.
Thousands of MSU fans will once again make their spring pilgrimage to campus to watch the Bulldogs’ spring football game and also attend the Diamond Dogs’ series against No. 3 Arkansas.
“I think anytime we play at home the kids are excited,” said MSU interim head coach Gary Henderson. “We’ve got great fans and a great ballpark. Is it more because it’s a certain opponent or it’s Super Bulldog Weekend? I don’t know but I think the kids will do a good job getting ready for the weekend and it should be exciting.”
The series gets underway at 6:30 tonight and continues Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
This weekend, Mississippi State (19-19, 5-10 SEC) is simply trying to get back on track having lost four of its first five conference series. MSU is tied with Tennessee and Alabama in the league’s cellar.
“We’re not having the season we wanted but you’ve just got to have the same mindset and the same approach,” said pitcher Konnor Pilkington. “We’re trying to stay positive, help each other and encourage each other to get better day in and day out. It’s really hard because we’ve got a bunch of freshmen and juco guys.”
