BASEBALL: Bittle wins Ferriss Award …

… as Mississippi’s top college baseball player. A deserving and fitting tribute to a turnaround season from the struggles of 2007.

Exactly when to push the Bittle Button in the SEC tournament could get tricky. Bittle says he’ll be ready for action Wednesday against Georgia despite throwing 7 1-3 innings and around 120 pitches Sunday against Kentucky.

He pitched in a lot of midweek games this season when he’d just pitched on the weekend, but nothing he did on the weekends every came close to the number of pitches he threw against Kentucky.

Georgia would be a huge win if the Rebels could get it. Bittle will no doubt be a part of the plan if Mike Bianco thinks he can go and the Rebels find themselves with a lead in the later innings.

– PA

BASEBALL: Lance Lynn update

MRI results for Ole Miss pitcher Lance Lynn came back clean. His knee injury sustained while covering home plate in the first game at Kentucky was believed to be minor, and further study revealed no surprises.

Lynn will pitch the SEC tournament opener against regular season champ Georgia unless there are unforseen complications from the knee.

Georgia has announced it will start relief pitcher Nick Montgomery (2-1, 4.66), a right-hander. Montgomery has thrown 38 2-3 innings and has given up more home runs (5) than anyone else in Georgia’s bullpen.

Opponents are batting .250 against him.

He pitched in the Saturday game when Ole Miss was in Athens, a 9-4 Rebels win. Montgomery lasted 2-3 of an inning giving up four hits and four runs, all earned.

– PA

FYI: Today’s agenda

Baseball interviews at 11:30. Team practices at 12. Lance Lynn is supposed to have an MRI this morning. At present, it’s not believed to be a serious injury. I’ll post some notes in the afternoon.

– PA