The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebs Stay Hot in OleMaha
6/19/2022 | Baseball
Dominant Pitch and Timely Hitting Carrying Ole Miss Through the Postseason
OMAHA, Neb. - Ole Miss and Arkansas, both victorious in round one of the College World Series on Saturday, meet at 6 p.m. Monday. The winner, it could be said, will be in the proverbial driver's seat. Yet there is still a lot of baseball to be played.
On Saturday night, the Rebels were really in control of their 5-1 win against Auburn from the outset. Setting the table with a couple of runs early for Dylan DeLucia, as effective as he's been this postseason, gave Ole Miss a lift from the top of the first.
Not to be forgotten is Josh Mallitz, who came in for DeLucia with two outs in the eighth and a runner on first. When Hayden Dunhurst threw from his knees to Tim Elko at first base who tagged Blake Rambusch out, the Rebels could taste victory, just three outs in the bottom of the ninth away.
Mallitz got three strikeouts in that last at-bat for Auburn, and it was on to Monday.
"Mallitz at the end has been as good as anybody that we run out there," Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco said.
He also said his team continued to do what it's done lately.
"We played very well. I think that's obvious." said Bianco, who picked up win No. 950 in his collegiate coaching career, with 850 of those coming at Ole Miss.
Bianco then repeated his often-used and accurate assessment from many of those wins.
"And it always starts on the mound," he said.
DeLucia and Mallitz were obviously effective. There was also a solid defensive showing, and an offense that continues to produce with 11 hits in this one, three of those hits and four of their five runs coming with two outs.
In the postseason, with a 6-0 record, the Rebels have outscored their opponents 51-12.
"On this field with the wind gushing in, runs are at a premium. It's tough to score," Bianco said. "Of course Kevin (Graham) had a terrific night. Big hit with two outs by Kemp (Alderman). And then later in the game, we had some balls fall for us. We had some good fortune, which you need."
Graham, 3-for-5 with a RBI, and Alderman, 2-for-4 with 2 RBI, talked of the momentum that needs to continue to lift the Rebels through the postseason and on to the Arkansas matchup Monday night.
"I think we just keep playing baseball like we have been," Graham said. "Just keep winning pitches and competing."
"We'll go out there and make pitches, have tough at-bats and make good plays and just play like we've been playing for the last month," Alderman said.
The past month, since they were eliminated from the Southeastern Conference Tournament, they have been as good as any team in the country. That's why they are among the last eight standing. That's why they are here in Omaha.
"At this point in the season, it doesn't matter who you are playing. Everybody is good," Graham said. "Everybody can beat everybody. It's a fun group of guys to go play with every day. We're just ready to go compete again."
