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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Baseball America Tabs Diamonds Rebs No. 22 In Preseason Rankings
1/24/2012 | Baseball
Jan. 24, 2012
OXFORD, Miss. - On the heels of a top five ranking for the Rebels recruiting class, the Ole Miss baseball team finds itself in the top 25 heading into the 2012 season as Baseball America tabbed the Rebels the No. 22 team in the nation on Tuesday.
It marks the ninth time the Rebels have been ranked in the top 25 in the preseason under head coach Mike Bianco, and the eighth time in the last nine seasons.
Ole Miss opens the season on the road, traveling to face the TCU Horned Frogs for a three-game series beginning on Friday, February 17. The Horned Frogs enter the season ranked as high as No. 10 nationally to set up an opening weekend showdown of top 25 foes.
The Rebels welcome back a group of players from a year ago that includes six starters. Among those returning starters is junior Alex Yarbrough who was an All-SEC selection a year ago after hitting .350 for the season. Joining him are junior Tanner Mathis, who hit .336 and struck out only 10 times in 216 at bats, and senior Matt Snyder - the returning home run leader from a season ago.
On the mound, the Rebels return junior reliever Brett Huber, who earned Freshman All-America honors in 2010, and sophomore right-hander Bobby Wahl who is expected to slide into the starting lineup for the Rebels on Friday night.
Add in a crop of newcomers that was ranked fifth nationally by Baseball America and third nationally by Collegiate Baseball, and it looks to be a good mix of players returning to the diamond for Ole Miss in 2012.
Season tickets for the 2012 season are currently on sale and can be purchased through the Ole Miss Ticket Office at 662-915-7167 or online at www.OleMissSports.com.
