College World Series 2014: Ole Miss Advances By Beating TCU, 6-4
By Dave Bevan
The Ole Miss Rebels pulled out a clutch bullpen win Thursday night, as they beat TCU in an elimination game of the 2014 College World Series, by the score of 6-4. The Rebels now advance to face Virginia for a shot at the championship matchup between either Vanderbilt or Texas.
Today, Acey Roberts reported from Omaha for Ole Hotty Toddy. He was busy getting out of the stadium, but here is his recap notes, HOTTY TODDY REBEL NATION!:
Sikes Orvis and Will Allen combine for 5 of the Rebels’ 6 runs to survive their second elimination game in the College World Series.
The Ole Miss bats finally got off their shoulders as the team combined for 11 hits and the 6 runs ties for a tournament high.
Storms rolled through the Omaha area earlier today but after the rain came clear skies and an end to the 25 mph winds that cut down the offense in Omaha to this point.
Will Allen scored the 5th run on a shot back up the middle in the 6th and Sikes Orvis plated Will Allen in the 8th on a slicing opposite field hit that hit literally a few grains of white chalk down the left field line.
Will Allen’s three RBI’s are the most by any player in the CWS.
The win ties Ole Miss for most wins ever by an OM team (48). It is also the first time an Ole Miss team has won two elimination games in a row in Omaha and the first time they have won two games here since 1956.
Sam Smith started the game for the Rebels and had a solid three innings but gave in to the Horned Frogs in the bottom of the 4th as they scored 3 in the frame and continued in the bottom of the 5th with a lead off homerun.
But then the Ole Miss bullpen closed the door on TCU’s season.
It was an all hands on deck approach as Laxer, Short and Greenwood combined to quiet the TCU bats over the last 4 innings.
Ole Miss pieced together hits all night and at times looked un-stoppable at the plate.
The Rebs are now one of the last four standing in the 64 team NCAA tournament and must beat Virginia twice to advance to the championship series against the winner of Texas and Vanderbilt.
Doubt washed across Rebel Nation this afternoon when the lineup announced in pre-game that senior starting catcher Will Allen was a DH and Austin Knight was starting behind the plate due to some arm soreness with Allen.
Austin Knight erased all worry early in the game by laying down a bunt to advance the first run of the game. He later displayed some cat-like reflexes blocking up balls from Short and Greenwood to preserve the minimal lead.
Guys, the bats have woken up. The pitching rotation starts over again Friday as we should see a replay of Chris Ellis and Nathan Kirby tomorrow night at 7pm.
Do the Rebs have a few more games left in the tank?
If they can get a couple more guys to step up (like Bousfield who is 0 for 8), this team is certainly capable of winning the next two days.
Virginia is a formidable opponent and the last top right national seed remaining.
Ole Miss has been a giant killer so far knocking out two national seeds in La- Lafayette and TCU.
Here’s to hoping Ole Miss continues on their winning ways. Tune in Friday at 7pm on ESPN!