House Concurrent Resolution 55

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI REBELS BASEBALL TEAM AND COACH MIKE BIANCO FOR WINNING THE 2018 SEC TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP AND FOR ONE OF THE BEST SEASONS IN PROGRAM HISTORY.

WHEREAS, on May 27, 2018, in front of the second-largest crowd in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Tournament Championship Game history, the No. 4 Ole Miss Baseball Team left no doubt about their ability, crushing Louisiana State University 9-1 to secure its third tournament title in program history, and the Rebel offense exploded for nine runs on 15 hits, including a decisive four-run seventh inning, while a combination of Houston Roth, Will Stokes, Ryan Rolison and Greer Holston held LSU to just one run on four hits in a dominant victory; and

WHEREAS, highlights of the 2018 Ole Miss baseball season, one of the best seasons in program history:

· Ole Miss won the SEC Tournament for the third time in program history and the first time since 2006;

· A crowd of 14,126 were on hand for the Rebel triumph, the second-largest SEC Championship Game crowd in history and the first over 14,000 in 15 years;

· Ole Miss recorded its 20th come-from-behind win for the 2018 season;

· Rebel hitters leading off an inning went 26-for-48 (.542) in the SEC Tournament, including 6-for-9 in the championship game;

· Nick Fortes was the third player in SEC Tournament Championship Game history to record four or more hits;

· Nick Fortes became the second Rebel to earn SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player, joining Mark Wright from the 2006 Championship Team;

· Nick Fortes, Will Golsan and Thomas Dillard were named to the SEC All-Tournament Team;

· Ole Miss starting pitching accumulated a 1.28 earned run average (ERA) over 28.2 innings of work in the SEC Tournament;

· Ole Miss ended its season tied for the most wins in program history with 48;

· The Rebels also tied a school record with 21 saves as a team, matching the mark set in 1993;

· The Ole Miss pitching staff came up just three strikeouts shy of tying a program record with 621 on the season, with the record of 624 from the 2008 season standing as the most by a Rebel staff;

· Ole Miss finished the season with the best fielding percentage in program history at .978, breaking the previous mark of .976 set in 2012;

· Ole Miss finished with an even .300 batting average, the first Rebel team to reach a .300 mark since 2009;

· Ryan Rolison was selected No. 22 overall in the first round by the Colorado Rockies in the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft, making the sophomore lefty the first Rebel taken in the first round since Drew Pomeranz went fifth overall to the Cleveland Indians in 2010, and he is the fifth first-rounder in Rebel history, joining Pomeranz, Michael Rosamond (1999), Chris Coghlan (2005) and Lance Lynn (2008);

· Jordan Fowler was named a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball, and the freshman left-hander wrapped up an outstanding rookie campaign, in which he went 7-0 with a 3.20 ERA, the best percentage record and lowest ERA among all Rebel starters; and

WHEREAS, Ole Miss baseball put together one of the best seasons in program history, but the Rebels did not get the finish they hoped for, falling 3-2 in the NCAA Oxford Regional finale to No. 2 seed Tennessee Tech (52-10) to end their season at 48-17; and

WHEREAS, the 2018 Ole Miss Rebel Baseball Team roster was: Jacob Adams, IF; Ryan Olenek, IF/OF; Anthony Servideo, IF; Emanuel Fernandez, LHP; Thomas Dillard, C/OF; Nick Fortes, C; Will Golsan, IF/OF; Michael Spears, OF; Tyler Keenan, IF; Chase Cockrell, IF; Greer Holston, RHP; Cooper Johnson, C; Cole Zabowski, IF; Grae Kessinger, IF; Will Stokes, RHP; Connor Green, RHP; Will Ethridge, RHP; Jordan Fowler, LHP; Ryan Rolison, LHP; Tim Elko, IF; James McArthur, RHP; Bryan Seamster, OF; Austin Miller, RHP; Max Cioffi, RHP; Colin Coates, RHP; Michael Fitzsimmons, IF; Golston Gillespie, UT; Brady Feigl, RHP; Houston Roth, RHP; Pierce Smith, LHP; Tim Rowe, OF; Carl Gindl, OF; Matt Myers, RHP; and Parker Caracci, RHP; Head Coach, Mike Bianco; Assistant Coaches, Mike Clement and Carl Lafferty; Volunteer Assistant Coach, Marc MacMillan; Coordinator of Operations External Affairs, Alex Swenson; Coordinator of Operations Internal Affairs, Chris Goudoras; Senior Athletic Trainer, Josh Porter; Strength and Conditioning Coach, Zach Boone; Assistant Director of Academic Support, Sheila Padgett; Sports Performance Consultant, Brian Cain; and Student Mangers: Collin Brinkley, Hunter Doucet, Ethan Moore, Eric Menefee, Jacob Smith, Ryan Smith and Nathan Bledsoe; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we join the University of Mississippi students and alumni in recognizing these outstanding athletes who have brought honor to their university, their community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the University of Mississippi Rebels Baseball Team and Head Coach Mike Bianco for winning the 2018 SEC Tournament Championship and for one of the best seasons in program history, and extend to the players, coaches, parents and sponsors best wishes for success in the 2019 season.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Head Coach Mike Bianco, Chancellor Larry Sparks, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.