Tennessee ace Liam Doyle’s return to Ole Miss couldn’t have gone much better on Friday night. Doyle turned in his best outing of the season as fifth-ranked Tennessee defeated the sixth-ranked Rebels 3-2 in a pitcher’s duel at Swayze Field.
It was a homecoming of sorts for Doyle. The left-handed pitcher spent his sophomore season at Ole Miss as the Rebels’ Saturday starter. Jeered by the home fans all night, Doyle dominated allowing just three hits and two runs while striking out 14 batters in 8.1 innings pitched.
“I can’t speak too much to him, Ole Miss head Mike Bianco said of his former starter. “He was really good.”
“He has been really good all year,” Bianco added after more prodding. “This wasn’t a different night for him. You look at his numbers, he’s been terrific. Explosive fastball. He threw mostly fastballs. A few cutters. Picked up a cutter, I guess. A slider. The split. He is good.”
The only damage Ole Miss was able to do off of Doyle came in the fifth inning when Austin Fowley punished Doyle for hanging a breaking ball, sending it deep to left field for a two-run homer. But Doyle calmly retired the next eight batters until Fowley singled in the eighth inning.
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Doyle posted a career-long outing and his most strikeouts in SEC play this season. The left-handed pitcher struck out every single player in Ole Miss’ starting lineup. Doing it at his former school made it all the more special for Tennessee’s ace.
“I don’t know what would really compete with it,” Doyle said on where the performance ranks amongst his best baseball memories. “Just coming back to a spot that is pretty special to me and my family and being able to do what I do with this team, this coaching staff and these people around me — family and friends — it is pretty special. Would never take anything for granted. … I know not too many people like me here. Just to come back here and be able to dominate and do what I was able to do is always fun. SEC on a Friday, it doesn’t get much better than that.”
Doyle posted a 2-4 record and 6.35 ERA in 45.1 innings pitched for Ole Miss last season. After Friday’s start, Doyle boasts a 6-1 record and 2.47 ERA in 51 innings pitched. He’s struck out a remarkable 95 batters.
Tennessee and Ole Miss resume their weekend series on Saturday afternoon at 5 p.m. ET. SEC Network+ is streaming the game.
