For Ole Miss to advance to its third College World Series since 2014, it will need its stars play like stars and get big help from someone unexpected.
That was the formula used in three straight wins under difficult situations faced for any baseball team.
Ole Miss, 39-21, faces long-time Southeastern Conference rival Auburn, 40-22, in the Auburn Super Regional in a best of three series. The first game is Friday at 7 p.m on ESPN2. Game 2 is set for 4 p.m. on ESPN. A third game would TBA on Sunday.
At the Lincoln Regional at the University of Nebraska, Rebel fans saw their team battle 14 innings against a strong Arizona State team, before winning 7-6 on a walk off hit.
They then beat Nebraska 6-3 on a game that was suspended in driving rainstorm to the next morning. The Rebels came back in the evening and overcame a pair of deficits against Arizona State to win the regional title game 5-4 on sac fly from Dom Decker to score Cannon Golden.
“We’ll need our stars be stars and show up and other guys succeed in different roles and be like stars they were this weekend,” Coach Mike Bianco said.
“Those guys were (Wil) Lippert and J.P. (Robertson). They were outstanding.”
The pair of Rebel relievers combined for four pressure packed scoreless innings to set up the Rebels win
Photo by Kiana Dale/Ole Miss Athletics
One stat mentioned Tuesday before Bianco was the Rebs winning nine full count battles all in the sixth inning and beyond.
“That is how games are won,” Bianco said. “Wrong pitch and you walk a guy in. Or like with Rabe on Saturday, induced a ground ball to get out of the sixth inning. Again that is how games are won.”
Great defense was a key, too. And it came from shortstop Owen Paino.
“He saved Lippert a run on a play up the middle. He made the back hand grab and that line drive in the fourth inning in Game 3. He’s so good. Defense does win.”
They will need it again at Auburn.
“Auburn does every thing well. They pitch better than anyone in our league. Their offense can hit home runs or steal a base, and they can bunt,” Bianco said
Catcher Chase Fralick leads the Tigers with 20 home runs and 60 rbi. Chris Rembert hits .354 while Ethin Benjamin bats .335 with 15 home runs and 50 rbi.
Auburn has two 10-game winners in Alex Petrovic and Andrus Alaverz.
Ole Miss is led it’s stars Tristan Bissetta with 22 home runs 60 rbi and Judd Utermark with 21 home runs 49 rbi. Hayden Federico raised his average to 300 after the Lincoln Regional.
Hunter Elliott, 5-3 and 76 innings pitch, will start Game 1 at Plainsville Park.
