OXFORD — For the second straight-season, the defending national champion will not be in Hoover, Alabama.
With a series sweep at the hands of Auburn this weekend, Ole Miss has been eliminated from the SEC Tournament field, having secured a bottom-two finish in the conference standings. It is just the third time in head coach Mike Bianco’s 23-year tenure that the Rebels will miss out on the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Alabama. Ole Miss last missed the conference tournament in 2011; Mississippi State, the 2021 College World Series champions, missed last season’s SEC Tournament.
The Rebels are also a near lock to miss the NCAA Tournament; it would mark the first time since 2017 and just fourth time under Bianco that Ole Miss did not make it into the field. Currently sitting at 25-26 with four games remaining, the Rebels are also in danger of finishing with a losing record for the first time in Bianco’s tenure and first time overall since 1997 when they finished 22-31.
Ole Miss’ game with Austin Peay set for Tuesday has been canceled. The Rebels wrap up the regular season with a three-game set at Alabama starting Thursday.
“You’re right. Never been here. Never (had) a losing record this late,” Bianco said Saturay. “A lot of firsts, for all of us.”
The Rebels were outscored 37-11 over three games by the Tigers — who Ole Miss defeated in the first game of the College World Series last season — and were run-ruled in the opener. Auburn had 50 hits in the series, exactly twice as many as the Rebels. Ole Miss had five extra-base hits compared to the Tigers’ 14. Ole Miss led for ½ inning over the three games.
There was also a disparity in the series’ pitching statistics — Auburn pitching made 175 less pitches than Rebels’ pitching did, and the Tigers walked four batters compared to Ole Miss’ 19.
Quotable
“It’s not our job to feel bad (but) I think when you look back, obviously, there’s some disappointment. Those guys came here to go to postseason and go to Omaha. And to have the year that we’ve had, obviously, that doesn’t happen in this program. So that’s just disappointing. But they’ve been terrific. The kids, as I’ve said before, the way they’ve acclimated themselves to the team and to the locker room, it’s like they’ve been here for years. And I think that’s hard to do.” — Mike Bianco on centerfielder transfers Ethan Groff and first baseman Anthony Calarco’s impact.
Rebel Ramblings
Ole Miss is 11-24 over its last 35 games this season … The Rebels were swept by Alabama at Swayze Field last season … The Crimson Tide are currently playing under an interim coach following the firing of Brad Bohannon on May 4. Bohannon was fired following an “investigation into suspicious betting activity,” according to ESPN.
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