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Ole Miss baseball will have to stay on the road in the NCAA Tournament.
The Rebels (39-21) will face Auburn (42-20) in a three-game super regional series at Plainsman Park starting either June 5 or 6.
Despite being a No. 1 host seed, and the No. 4-ranked overall team in the NCAA Tournament, Auburn had to fight to escape its regional. The Tigers won four consecutive elimination games after losing to No. 4 Milwaukee to start its regional. Auburn beat Milwaukee twice, including 8-3 on June 1.
If Milwaukee had won, the Rebels would've hosted the Panthers in a super regional.
Ole Miss was a No. 2 regional seed but got through the Lincoln Regional unscathed, winning two games against No. 3 Arizona State and once against No. 1 Nebraska.
The winner of the best-of-three Ole Miss vs Auburn series will advance to the College World Series. Ole Miss did not face Auburn in the regular season or the SEC Tournament.
Here is what to know about the matchup.
If the series goes three games, there's no doubt the Rebels will use starting pitchers Hunter Elliott, Cade Townsend and Taylor Rabe.
It feels like each pitcher is bringing something different to the mound.
Elliott is the veteran. He is the last player on Ole Miss who was part of the 2022 national championship team. He is 5-3 with a 5.21 ERA.
Rabe is the Ole Miss starter throwing the best entering the super regional. He is coming off back-to-back starts that went six innings, and he has allowed one combined run in that stretch. He is 5-3 with a 3.84 ERA.
Townsend didn't have his best stuff in the regional, but he is Ole Miss' highest-ranked 2026 MLB Draft prospect. Townsend has a dizzying five-pitch mix that can shut teams down when it's all working. He is 5-3 with a 5.40 ERA.
Coach Mike Bianco pitched Elliott, Rabe and Townsend in that order in the regional.
MORE: Why Ole Miss baseball coach Mike Bianco had to eat crow after Rebels' regional win
Both teams enter the regional with sluggers who are a major home run threats.
Auburn catcher Chase Fralick went on a tear in the regional, hitting six home runs. It is the second time this season he has hit at least one home run in five consecutive games.
Fralick leads Auburn with 20 home runs.
Ole Miss right fielder Tristan Bissetta leads the Rebels with 22 home runs. Judd Utermark, who became the program's all-time leader in home runs earlier in the season, has 21 this year.
The Tigers' stadium has an unusual feature that the Ole Miss outfielders will be seeing for the first time this season.
Plainsman Park has a 30-foot wall in left field that is painted green. It is reminiscent of the famed "Green Monster" in Fenway Park. Batters trying to pull a ball deep will need to demolish a pitch to get it over the fence.
It may hurt Utermark, a right-handed hitter, more than Bissetta, who hits left-handed.
There is also a parking garage down the third base line that fans will watch the game from. Those fans are not listed in the capacity of 7,189. It makes for an exciting atmosphere. Auburn is 25-11 at home.
The Rebels had success in a rowdy environment in their most recent road super regional appearance. Ole Miss won at Southern Miss in 2022.
It's a high-stakes super regional with two teams that have the talent to make a run in the College World Series. Give the nod to the team that has fought off elimination four times. The Rebels have yet to play under that type of pressure.
Auburn will win the super regional, 2-1.
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at [email protected] or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss baseball vs Auburn prediction in NCAA super regional
Continue reading...
The Rebels (39-21) will face Auburn (42-20) in a three-game super regional series at Plainsman Park starting either June 5 or 6.
Despite being a No. 1 host seed, and the No. 4-ranked overall team in the NCAA Tournament, Auburn had to fight to escape its regional. The Tigers won four consecutive elimination games after losing to No. 4 Milwaukee to start its regional. Auburn beat Milwaukee twice, including 8-3 on June 1.
If Milwaukee had won, the Rebels would've hosted the Panthers in a super regional.
Ole Miss was a No. 2 regional seed but got through the Lincoln Regional unscathed, winning two games against No. 3 Arizona State and once against No. 1 Nebraska.
The winner of the best-of-three Ole Miss vs Auburn series will advance to the College World Series. Ole Miss did not face Auburn in the regular season or the SEC Tournament.
Here is what to know about the matchup.
How will Ole Miss baseball handle pitching rotation?
If the series goes three games, there's no doubt the Rebels will use starting pitchers Hunter Elliott, Cade Townsend and Taylor Rabe.
It feels like each pitcher is bringing something different to the mound.
Elliott is the veteran. He is the last player on Ole Miss who was part of the 2022 national championship team. He is 5-3 with a 5.21 ERA.
Rabe is the Ole Miss starter throwing the best entering the super regional. He is coming off back-to-back starts that went six innings, and he has allowed one combined run in that stretch. He is 5-3 with a 3.84 ERA.
Townsend didn't have his best stuff in the regional, but he is Ole Miss' highest-ranked 2026 MLB Draft prospect. Townsend has a dizzying five-pitch mix that can shut teams down when it's all working. He is 5-3 with a 5.40 ERA.
Coach Mike Bianco pitched Elliott, Rabe and Townsend in that order in the regional.
MORE: Why Ole Miss baseball coach Mike Bianco had to eat crow after Rebels' regional win
Chase Fralick, Judd Utermark among batters to watch in stacked offensive regional
Both teams enter the regional with sluggers who are a major home run threats.
Auburn catcher Chase Fralick went on a tear in the regional, hitting six home runs. It is the second time this season he has hit at least one home run in five consecutive games.
Fralick leads Auburn with 20 home runs.
Ole Miss right fielder Tristan Bissetta leads the Rebels with 22 home runs. Judd Utermark, who became the program's all-time leader in home runs earlier in the season, has 21 this year.
Will Auburn's home field advantage, 'Green Monster' give Tigers edge?
The Tigers' stadium has an unusual feature that the Ole Miss outfielders will be seeing for the first time this season.
Plainsman Park has a 30-foot wall in left field that is painted green. It is reminiscent of the famed "Green Monster" in Fenway Park. Batters trying to pull a ball deep will need to demolish a pitch to get it over the fence.
It may hurt Utermark, a right-handed hitter, more than Bissetta, who hits left-handed.
There is also a parking garage down the third base line that fans will watch the game from. Those fans are not listed in the capacity of 7,189. It makes for an exciting atmosphere. Auburn is 25-11 at home.
The Rebels had success in a rowdy environment in their most recent road super regional appearance. Ole Miss won at Southern Miss in 2022.
Ole Miss baseball vs Auburn prediction for Auburn Super Regional
It's a high-stakes super regional with two teams that have the talent to make a run in the College World Series. Give the nod to the team that has fought off elimination four times. The Rebels have yet to play under that type of pressure.
Auburn will win the super regional, 2-1.
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at [email protected] or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss baseball vs Auburn prediction in NCAA super regional
Continue reading...
