OMAHA, Neb. --The Ole Miss Rebels are playing for the college baseball national championship.
The Rebels punched their ticket to the College World Series finals on Thursday with a 2-0 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks in the semifinals, sending the Razorbacks home with a masterful pitching performance from Dylan DeLucia. The Ole Miss righty threw a complete game shutout, allowing four hits and striking out seven.
Arkansas countered DeLucia with its staff ace in Connor Noland who was impressive in his own right, throwing eight complete innings and allowing two earned runs. Ole Miss' first run of the game came in the top of the fourth with a two-out RBI double from Kevin Graham that scored Justin Bench. The Rebels added some insurance in the top of the seventh with an RBI single from Calvin Harris, and that was all the offense Mike Bianco's team needed to secure the win.
After being one of the last four teams in the NCAA Tournament field, the Rebels are now playing for the national championship. Ole Miss has been to the College World Series six times counting the 2022 season, but it has never advanced to the finals before this season. The Rebels will face the Oklahoma Sooners in a best-of-three series that begins on Saturday.
Follow along below for updates between the Rebels and Sooners.
Pregame
Below is the Ole Miss starting lineup for game one. Garrett Wood will start at third base, and Justin Bench will be in center. Jack Dougherty gets the start on the mound.
First Inning
Tim Elko is the first Rebel aboard with a two-out single. He advances to second on a wild pitch.
Kevin Graham with an RBI single, and the Rebels lead 1-0.
Graham steals second base. He advances to third on a wild pitch.
Alderman hits a ground ball to shortstop that is booted, and Graham scores. Ole Miss leads 2-0.
Chatagnier strikes out, and that ends the inning.
MID 1: Ole Miss 2, Oklahoma 0
Dougherty uses 14 pitches to set the Sooners down in order.
END 1: Ole Miss 2, Oklahoma 0
Second Inning
Calvin Harris hits an infield single with two outs. He advances to second on a wild pitch.
Justin Bench with an RBI single to right, and Ole Miss leads 3-0.
Jacob Gonzalez grounds out to end the inning.
MID 2: Ole Miss 3, Oklahoma 0
Dougherty retires the Sooners in order in the bottom half.
Third Inning
Tim Elko with a solo shot that gives the Rebels a 4-0 lead.
Nothing else for the Rebels in the frame.
MID 3: Ole Miss 4, Oklahoma 0
Dougherty strikes out the side in the third.
END 3: Ole Miss 4, Oklahoma 0
Fourth Inning
Hayden Dunhurst hits a leadoff single.
Wood grounds into a force out at first. Dunhurst advances to second.
Harris grounds out, and Dunhurst goes to third.
Bench strikes out looking to end the frame.
MID 4: Ole Miss 4, Oklahoma 0
Dougherty strikes out two and gets a fly out to stay perfect through four.
END 4: Ole Miss 4, Oklahoma 0
Fifth Inning
Nothing going for the Rebels in the top half. Dougherty back to the mound.
MID 5: Ole Miss 4, Oklahoma 0
Dougherty is now perfect through five.
END 5: Ole Miss 4, Oklahoma 0
Sixth Inning
Peyton Chatagnier has a one-out single.
Nothing else for the Rebels. OU's Jake Bennett is at 100 pitches.
MID 6: Ole Miss 4, Oklahoma 0
Jack Dougherty allows his first baserunner with an OU single.
Another single has two on with no outs for the Sooners. Bianco out to chat.
Oklahoma has its first run on an errant throw on a bunt. Still first and second with no outs.
A walk loads the bases with no outs. Bianco going to the pen. Mason Nichols in to pitch.
Nichols gets a strikeout for the first out of the inning. Another strikeout for the second.
Nichols issues a walk, and it's now a 4-2 ballgame.
A chopper back to the pitcher ends the inning.
END 6: Ole Miss 4, Oklahoma 2
Seventh Inning
Bennett strikes out Calvin Harris, but Oklahoma is going to the pen as its starter is now at 106 pitches.
Gonzalez draws a two-out walk to bring Elko to the plate.
Elko singles to put runners at first and third for Graham with two outs.
A groundout to the mound ends the Rebel threat.
MID 7: Ole Miss 4, Oklahoma 2
Nichols retires the Sooners in order in the bottom half.
END 7: Ole Miss 4, Oklahoma 2
Eighth Inning
Kemp Alderman with a leadoff single in the top half.
Chatagnier follows with a single. Two on, no outs.
Dunhurst bunts, and the runner is thrown out at third. Two on with one away.
Peyton Chatagnier attempts to steal third and is originally called safe. Review rules him out after he slid off the bag.
T.J. McCants hits a two-run home run, and Ole Miss is back up four.
Make it back-to-back. Calvin Harris with a solo shot.
Back-to-back-to-back. Justin Bench.
Oklahoma is going to the bullpen. Ole Miss now leads 8-2.
Nothing else for the Rebels, but they now hold a six-run lead.
MID 8: Ole Miss 8, Oklahoma 2
Josh Mallitz enters the game on the mound for Ole Miss. He issues a leadoff walk.
After a strikeout, Mallitz called for a balk. Runner to second.
After another strikeout, OU gets an RBI single to make it 8-3.
A groundout to short ends the inning.
END 8: Ole Miss 8, Oklahoma 3
Ninth Inning
Tim Elko hits a leadoff single. He's 4-for-5 tonight.
Oklahoma is changing pitchers again. This is its fifth arm to use tonight. One away with Elko at first.
Kemp Alderman hits a double. Elko stands at third with one out.
Chatagnier doubles on a pop up that none of the Sooner fielders could see. It's now 9-3 Ole Miss.
A sacrifice fly from Dunhurst gives Ole Miss a 10-3 lead.
McCants strikes out to end the inning.
MID 9: Ole Miss 10, Oklahoma 3
Mallitz issues a one-out walk.
A double puts runners at second and third with two outs.
Mallitz gets the third out, and Ole Miss is one win away from a national championship.
FINAL: Ole Miss 10, Oklahoma 3
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