Mississippi News
Ole Miss’ remarkable resurgence reaches to within one win of Omaha
Ole Miss Rebels' remarkable resurgence reaches to within one win of Omaha
HATTIESBURG — The Ole Miss Rebels won only seven of their first 21 SEC games. They were one and done in the SEC Tournament. They dropped from No. 1 in the nation early in the season to far out of the various college baseball polls.
Many Ole Miss fans were openly calling for Coach Mike Bianco's dismissal, saying the game had passed him by. Most bracket experts thought the Rebels had little hope, if any, of receiving an at large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
And now, Bianco's Rebels stand one victory away from the College World Series at Omaha, and that victory could come Sunday.
The Bible had Lazarus. College baseball has Ole Miss.
The Rebels dispatched the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, the No. 11 seed in the tournament and winners of 47 games, 10-0 on Saturday to win the first game of the Hattiesburg Super Regional. The two teams square off again today in the oven Pete Taylor Park becomes this time of the year. Simply put, if Ole Miss wins, Ole Miss goes to Omaha. If Southern Miss wins, they'll play again Monday at a time to be determined.
The announced attendance was 5,474, of which more than 4,500 were Southern Miss fans. Those gold-clad fans, loud to begin with, were drowned out in the end by the Ole Miss cheering section down the first baseline. The Hotty Toddies had plenty to cheer.
Ole Miss had only one anxious moment. The Rebels led 3-0 when Southern Miss loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Reece Ewing yanked a Dylan DeLucia pitch down the right field line that cleared the fence right at the foul pole. Foul or fair? Grand slam or loud foul?
Ewing clearly thought it was fair. DeLucia? “Honestly, I didn't know if it was foul or fair,” DeLucia said. “Sure am glad it was foul.”
It was so close plate umpire Linus Baker called for a video review. After a long delay, the call on the field was upheld. DeLucia, who was only splendid for the Rebels, fanned Ewing with a wicked slider on the next pitch — by far the biggest pitch of the game.
And then Ole Miss scored seven runs in the sixth, and what what looked for a moment like it might be a 4-3 game with Southern Miss leading became a 10-0 Rebel runaway.
Best evidence that the umpires got it right? This: There wasn't a full-scale riot in the Right Field Roost where hundreds of the most rabid of Southern Miss fans sit, cheer, eat barbecue and have been known to consume more than a few adult beverages.
Your dutiful reporter went right to the source for conclusive evidence. Said a gold-clad fan, between gulps of a Miller Lite, “It was a foul ball — dammit.”
Ole Miss proceeded to do what LSU couldn't do last weekend. The Rebels beat Southern Miss right-hander Hurston Waldrep, who Bianco said “is going to be a Big Leaguer. He's terrific.”
Waldrep struck out 12 Rebels in just five innings. But Ole Miss was patient enough at the plate to draw four walks and opportunistic enough to touch Waldrep up for six hits. The Ole Miss legend, also known as Tim Elko, produced two of the hits and knocked in three of the runs.
Meanwhile, DeLucia did what he has been doing since mid-April, which is string zeroes across the scoreboard. Said Bianco of DeLucia, “He not only gives a good chance to win, he gives us a great chance to win. He has pretty much saved our season.”
Said Southern Miss coach Scott Berry, “We had our chances, but that young man really stepped up for them. He pitched really well.”
DeLucia went 5.2 innings, throwing 108 pitches and allowing only four hits. Jack Dougherty then pitched 3.1 innings of hitless relief. This was a Super Regional billed by many as Ole Miss' superb hitting against Southern Miss' exceptional pitching. DeLucia and Dougherty, at least for one game, have rewritten that script. Ole Miss can pitch it, too.
We've come to expect such heroics from the likes of Elko and DeLucia. But to win at this time of the year in college baseball, a team needs help from where you don't necessarily expect it. Enter little-used third baseman Garrett Wood, who hit a run-scoring double, scored a run himself and walked three times. Not bad for a guy known as a defensive replacement.
Of Wood, Bianco said, “It's really cool. … Good things happen to good people and that is certainly the case here. He's one of the most popular guys on our team. Everybody loves him. He's always upbeat, always a smile on his face.”
Anybody who believes this Super Regional is a done deal now hasn't been paying attention. Southern Miss was in a worse situation last weekend in the Hattiesburg Regional when, after a Saturday night loss to LSU, the Golden Eagles had to come back and win three games in two days and beat LSU twice in the process.
“We've had our backs against the wall before,” Berry said. ”We're not ready to be done with this season. We have the pitching to still win this thing. We've just got to start hitting.”
Somebody asked Bianco if his Rebels might be looking ahead to Omaha. Bianco smiled as if break into laughter.
“Really,” he answered. “I don't think they are looking ahead to anything. They know what they are playing for. You don't have to remind them.”
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Two wanted for questioning in Gordon Street homicide
SUMMARY: Jackson police are looking for two individuals connected to a homicide in April 2024. The incident occurred on Gordon Street, resulting in the death of Ceasar Abrego. Surveillance images show a male and female wanted for questioning. Those with information are urged to contact the Jackson Police Department or Crime Stoppers. Former Mississippi sheriff also pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI.
The post Two wanted for questioning in Gordon Street homicide appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
TikTok, ByteDance sue US government to block law that could ban app from US
SUMMARY: TikTok is suing the U.S. government to block a law that would force the app to be divested from its Chinese parent company or face a ban in the country. The law gives ByteDance 270 days to sell TikTok to a U.S. company or face a ban from American networks and app stores. TikTok argues that a “qualified divestiture” is not possible and would lead to the shutdown of the app in the U.S., affecting millions of daily users. The lawsuit claims that the law violates the First Amendment, as it forces the app to be separated from its parent company.
The post TikTok, ByteDance sue US government to block law that could ban app from US appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Former Mississippi sheriff pleads guilty to making false statements to FBI
SUMMARY: Former Noxubee County Sheriff Terry Grassaree pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI about his relationship with a female inmate. Grassaree used his position to solicit nude photos in exchange for special treatment, including contraband items and job privileges. He lied to the FBI about receiving the photos, which was intended to influence their investigation. Grassaree faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. One of his deputies also pleaded guilty to bribery charges. Grassaree is scheduled to be sentenced in August 2024.
The post Former Mississippi sheriff pleads guilty to making false statements to FBI appeared first on www.wjtv.com
-
SuperTalk FM5 days ago
Driver’s education set to become mandatory in Mississippi as bill passes
-
SuperTalk FM4 days ago
State approves $160M to expand Highway 7 to four lanes in Lafayette County
-
Mississippi Business6 days ago
Geartek expanding operations in Alcorn County
-
SuperTalk FM18 hours ago
Legislation outlawing ‘squatted’ vehicles in Mississippi signed into law
-
Mississippi Today2 days ago
On this day in 1917
-
Mississippi News2 days ago
LCSO wants people aware of a scam circling the area
-
Mississippi News5 days ago
Altercation at Mississippi police department leads to officer-involved shooting
-
Mississippi News2 days ago
Winston Co. Sheriff’s Office investigates shooting at Dave’s Club