Thomas Dillard Selected for 2018 College Home Run Derby

June 21, 2018

OMAHA, Neb. - Ole Miss baseball's Thomas Dillard has been selected to the roster for the ninth annual Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans College Home Run Derby at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday, June 30, Intersport announced today. Dillard is one of six men's college baseball players selected for the event that will air live on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. CT. He was invited to take part in the College Home Run Derby after being recognized as one of the top power hitters in college baseball.

Dillard is the third Rebel to be selected for the College Home Run Derby and the second in the last three years, joining Colby Bortles (2016) and Sikes Orvis (2014).

The sophomore out of Oxford High School hit .310 with a team-high 13 home runs this season to go along with 15 doubles and two triples. Dillard also led Ole Miss with 59 RBI and 67 runs scored, ending his season with the most runs produced by any player in the SEC. He also stole a team-high 17 bases. As the Rebel clean-up hitter, Dillard drew a team-high 49 walks and led his squad in on-base percentage (.439) and slugging (.563) for an OPS just over 1.000.

Dillard hit a number of monstrous home runs for Ole Miss this season, including the hardest-hit home run by a Rebel in 2018, a 435-foot blast against Eastern Illinois that left his bat at 111.7 mph. Perhaps the biggest home run highlight of the switch-hitter's season came as a series-winning three-run bomb against LSU.

In his second season as a Rebel, Dillard improved his batting average by .104 points and increased his home run total by nine. He was an integral part of an Ole Miss offense that was arguably the best in the conference en route to a regular-season SEC West Division title. He also earned All-Tournament honors as the Rebels captured the 2018 SEC Tournament Championship.

The annual College Home Run Derby showcases some of college baseball's premier sluggers, all of whom have ranked among the nation's home run leaders during the 2018 season. This is Omaha's chance to see baseball's stars of tomorrow. Former champions include current New York Yankees superstar and 2017 American League Rookie of the Year winner Aaron Judge, who led the AL with 52 home runs in 2017.

A complete list of participants will be released at a later date.

The College Home Run Derby includes three rounds of play: Round 1 featuring all contestants, Round 2 featuring the hitters with the top four scores after Round 1, and Round 3 featuring the top two sluggers after Round 2.

Contestants in each round will have a timed period of four minutes to hit as many home runs as they can, rather than the traditional 10-out method. Once the timed period concludes, contestants will have one final opportunity to hit a home run with the "Bonus Ball." If successful, two additional home runs will be added to the contestant's total score. The new timed format, rather than the traditional 10-out method, has produced record-breaking action and drama since it was introduced to the competition in 2016. A record 185 home runs were hit in 2016 when this timed format was used for the first time, shattering the previous record of 128, and the competition has been decided by the final pitch each of the last two years.

Individual tickets for the 2018 Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans College Home Run Derby & Omaha World-Herald Fireworks are $8 for children (ages 3-12), $12 for adults, or a 'Family Four-Pack' for $36, and are now on sale. Tickets may be purchased in-person from the CenturyLink Center Omaha box office, by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, or online at Ticketmaster.com. Service fees will apply to those tickets purchased over the phone or online, but not to those purchased in-person. For groups of 20 or more, visit http://www.collegehomerunderby.com.

For media credentials, please contact Steve Flaherty at sflaherty@intersportnet.com.

Follow the College Home Run Derby on Facebook and Twitter for the latest event updates and information.

For the latest news and updates involving Ole Miss Baseball, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissBSB, on Facebook at Ole Miss Baseball and on Instagram at olemissbsb.

About Intersport
Since 1985, Intersport has been an award-winning innovator and leader in the creation of sports, lifestyle, culinary and entertainment-based marketing platforms. With expertise in Sponsorship Consulting, Experiential Marketing, Hospitality, Retail Engagement, Content Marketing, Productions and Property Creation, this Chicago-based Marketing & Media Solutions Company helps its clients engage consumers with compelling ideas, content and experiences. To learn more about Intersport, visit www.intersportnet.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

-UM-

Media Contact:
Intersport:
Steve Flaherty
Manager, Communications
312-467-8131
sflaherty@intersportnet.com

Ole Miss Baseball:
Alex Sims
515-720-2260
asims2@go.olemiss.edu

RebelsCalendar

Players Mentioned

Colby Bortles

Thomas Dillard

Sikes Orvis

The University of Mississippi Athletics