Ole Miss closer Connor Spencer celebrates Friday's win against South Carolina (Aaron Fitt)

Ole Miss shows fight of junkyard dog in gritty SEC-opening win

OXFORD, Miss. — As Connor Spencer answered questions from media in the outfield grass at Swayze Field on Friday night, he had a black “difference maker” T-shirt draped over his left arm, and held an encased baseball emblazoned with the number “1” in his hands. The ball is one of 30 that Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco prepared for the season, planning to award the balls (along with the shirts) to the player of the game after each Rebel victory in SEC play.

Nobody goes undefeated in the SEC, of course — but hey, you can’t go 30-0[…]