The University of Mississippi Athletics
Practice Day Provides Perspective for Ole Miss
6/19/2022 | Baseball
Rebels Use Day Off to Prepare for Continued Road in Omaha
Story by: Jeff Roberson
OMAHA, Neb. - It all looked familiar, the surroundings at Creighton University's baseball facility, where Ole Miss practiced Sunday morning. We'd been here before.
"Looking for Will Allen and John Gatlin and . . ." I said, strolling past Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco.
Different year, he told me in response, and so it is. Those Rebels were here another time, back in 2014, and now they keep up with these Rebels who have found their way into more than just a conversation about who has a shot to win it all.
They've come so far. There is a long way to go.
Arkansas is up next, and the 16 or so reporters gathered wanted to know this and that about this and that on the Rebels' off day from games. Some of it pertained to what it's like to continue to play Southeastern Conference Western Division teams in mid-to-late June.
"It's actually cool that we get to play the same teams we played during the regular season," said catcher Hayden Dunhurst. "But I don't think it makes a difference if we play a new team. We just play the games to win."
It had been three months since Ole Miss played Auburn. The Rebels won two of three games in March at Auburn and won again Saturday night here. Arkansas is the opponent Monday at 6 p.m. The Rebels and Razorbacks wrapped up their series on May 1 with the Hogs winning two of three.
"We played Auburn so early in the season and we played Arkansas in the middle of the season," Dunhurst said. "We've been playing better baseball (since)."
And so they have, outscoring their NCAA Tournament opponents 51-12. That's a remarkable feat given the competition. It's also the sign of a confident team playing well.
Much has been said of the effectiveness of the Rebels' pitching staff these past six tourney games, from Regional through Super Regional and now one game down in Omaha. Dunhurst has arguably the most unique perspective of all to speak to their performances.
"They've been great for me. It's been fun the past few weeks getting to catch them," he said. "Been able to work on some things throughout the games. It's been exciting for sure."
Freshman All-American Hunter Elliott gets the baseball again to start game two. His last outing, against Southern Miss a week ago in a 5-0 Ole Miss victory, was perhaps his best yet. Now he prepares for another significant moment in his first collegiate season.
"Just a light throw, good stretch, just get the body moving, not doing a lot, just hydrate really," Elliott said of what his routine was in the morning at Creighton and also as the day moved on.
On Monday he faces the Razorbacks again, a team he pitched against in the second game of the series in Fayetteville. Although Ole Miss lost, Elliott was beginning to emerge even more as a star of the pitching staff, that day going six innings and striking out eight on four hits with three earned runs and only a couple of free passes.
"They can hit it, they can swing it," Elliott said of Arkansas. "You've really got to pitch to them. You've really got to make pitches. But obviously, like any team, they're pitchable if you execute your pitches and have your best stuff."
Again, even though there was practice, Sunday was an off day for the team - at least from games. While Texas and Texas A&M played an elimination game, and Notre Dame and Oklahoma meet, the Rebels await Monday. Even before their own game Monday night, there is an elimination contest in the afternoon for Stanford and Auburn.
Peyton Chatagnier said Sunday was welcomed, especially after a win Saturday night. There will be team and family visits and also an opportunity to get out into the Omaha community and do some positive things.
"I've got some family here, so we'll probably hang out," he said. "The team is also going to the Omaha Home for Boys, which I think will be a really cool experience for all of us.
"This whole experience the past couple of days has been unreal," the Rebels' second baseman continued. "Like our send off to the game, we had a bunch of fans at the hotel with us, hanging out with us, taking pictures, really cool. I've been trying to soak it in as much as I can."
Bianco said he doesn't believe he has seen such a send off in any of the previous six times he's been to Omaha with a team.
"I've been through those as a player and an assistant coach and as a head coach. I've never seen that many people in your hotel to high-5 for you and clap for you as we were getting on the bus," he said. "That was really cool. And when we got to the stadium, you could sense it was a partisan crowd for Ole Miss. That makes you proud, proud that it means that much to your fanbase."
Now, on to Monday.
