Peyton’s place in history

Peyton Chatagnier at Ole Miss

Stealing three bases in a game is not a far reach for Hall of Famers like Ty Cobb, Lou Brock and Rickey Henderson.

All they do is combine for 3,241 stolen bases during their careers, so the thought of swiping three bases in any one game is no big deal.

Now, imagine something completely different.

Like stealing three bases on the same play. Without a pitch being thrown.

Now, here is where imagination becomes reality as two years ago today Peyton Chatagnier, a second baseman at the University of Mississippi, does just that.

The moment takes place in the second inning of a game against Alcorn State – and starts with Alcorn State pitcher Jamaal Green seemingly picking off Chatagnier at first base.

Instead of trying to get back to first base, Chatagnier takes off for second, reaching there on a head-first slide ahead of the throw from first baseman Jermel Ford to second baseman Jordan Holt.

While coming up from his slide, Chatagnier sees Alcorn State third baseman Payton Baylis nowhere near his position, so Chatagnier gets up and keeps on running.

Seeing that no one is covering third, Alcorn State catcher Garrett Palladino sprints down the line toward third base to take Holt’s throw to tag out Chatagnier, who instead beats Palladino to the base and then sees no one is covering the plate.

So, Chatagnier once again gets up, runs past Palladino’s would-be tag at third and easily slides home without another throw.

Completing the mad dash around the bases

By the end of the play, the Ole Miss leadoff hitter covers 270 feet with three stolen bases on a single play that ends with a run for the Rebels.

Not that Ole Miss needs the run as the Rebels beat Alcorn State 16-1.

In all, only two throws are made during Chatagnier’s mad dash around the bases – Green’s original pickoff attempt at first base and then Ford’s throw to Holt at second.

“I was going first move,” Chatagnier says of initially being on first base and sizing up the Green’s pickoff move.

“But I did get picked off,” Chatagnier says. “Then I ran to second. Luckily, I was safe. For some reason the third baseman was closer to second, and I noticed ‘Hey, I can beat that out.’ So, I ran to third, I slid in. It was a closer play than I wanted it to be, and then I look up and (third-base coach Mike Clement) is just pointing at home, like nobody is there, just go, so I took off. It was unbelievable. I’ve never ever seen that happen.”

Who has?

So far this season, Chatagnier has eight stolen bases in 13 games as a fifth-year senior now at Texas Christian.

Two years ago?

Chatagnier totals just six stolen bases in 62 games at Ole Miss with half of those steals for the eventual NCAA champions coming on the same play in 2022.