Mike Bianco's Decisions That Changed the Game For Ole Miss vs. Auburn

Ole Miss handles business in first game of super regional versus Auburn

Ole Miss infielder Topher Jones (7) swings for the ball during a college baseball game between Mississippi State and Ole Miss at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss., on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Mississippi State defeated Ole Miss in the Governor’s Cup 7-3. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ole Miss faced off against the four-seeded Auburn Tigers in the first game of the Auburn super regional and took care of business, winning 6-3.

The Rebels recorded 10 hits on offense, including two home runs from Judd Utermark and Colin Reuter.

Hunter Elliott did his thing on the mound, going 4.1 innings, striking out two, and only giving up two runs against a top-ranked Auburn offense that bats .299 as a team.

Mike Bianco and the boys are just one win away from their first Omaha trip since 2022, where they went on to win it all. Here are the manager's decisions from Bianco yesterday that led to the Rebels' 6-3 victory.

Brayden Randle in left field and in the lineup

Jun 1, 2025; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels shortstop Brayden Randle (1) reacts after scoring a run during the third inning against the Murray State Racers. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Brayden Randle has been killing it at the plate in these regional games. In 10 at-bats in the Lincoln regional, he recorded five hits and drove in three, reaching base safely in all three games Ole Miss played. Tonight, he continued his hitting streak, putting the Rebels up early in the second, driving in Hayden Federico on a single to right.

Bianco had Randle playing in left field and moved Tristan Bissetta to right, keeping the hot bat in the lineup, which ended up working out for Ole Miss, as not only did he record the first RBI, he went on to record another hit and RBI as well as the only Rebel base on balls of the night. According to the ESPN broadcast, Randle had not played the outfield since 14u.

Pitching staff usage

Jun 20, 2022; Omaha, NE, USA; Ole Miss Rebels starting pitcher Hunter Elliott (26) throws against the Arkansas Razorbacks in the first inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

The Ole Miss rotation flipped back to the top, and Hunter Elliott got the ball for the Rebels in game one. Elliott did what he's done all year and was fairly consistent and worked his way out of a few jams. In the middle of the fifth, with just 76 pitches before Bianco made the call to the bullpen.

In relief for Hunter Elliott was Hudson Calhoun, who had pitched in every Lincoln regional game, going 3.2 innings in the 14-inning win versus ASU and then getting the final outs after the Nebraska rain delay, then later that day, throwing two shutout innings against the Sun Devils, including four strikeouts to help send the Rebels to Auburn.

Calhoun took care of business in his outing, going 2.2 innings, giving up just one run on three strikeouts after getting himself out of the first and third one-out jam left behind by Elliott.

Taking over for Calhoun was Walker Hooks, whom we hadn't seen since the 14-inning game in the regional. Hooks came in for two innings and slammed the door on Auburn after giving up a ninth-inning home run. He had two strikeouts over his two innings.

Ole Miss will face the Tigers tonight at 4:00 pm CT to potentially punch their ticket to Omaha for the first time in four years. Coverage of the game will be on ESPN.

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