Ole Miss Baseball Faces Its Biggest Decision in Lincoln

The Biggest question for Ole Miss baseball heading into Lincoln isn't who they'll play, it's who gets the ball. With less than a week to prepare for Friday night's NCAA regional opener against Arizona State, head coach Mike Bianco and pitching coach Joel Mangrum are still deciding on their Game 1 starter.

When asked whether he knew if Hunter Elliott would pitch on Friday, Mike Bianco said, "Nah. We'll decide that late tonight or tomorrow. Joel didn't get a chance to see much, so we'll reconvene again."

For Ole Miss, the clearest path to the next round of the NCAA Tournament starts with a win Friday night. Going through the losers' bracket would mean an all-hands-on-deck effort just to reach a fourth game — and if you're lucky enough to win that one, you still have to figure out how to do it all over again.

Plans never unfold perfectly, but a Game 1 win would do more for Ole Miss than simply securing the bracket. It could reshape bullpen usage, shift the pressure back to the home team and change the psychology of the entire weekend.

More Than an Ace

Jun 2, 2025; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels relief pitcher Hunter Elliott (26) pitches during the ninth inning against the Murray State Racers. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Whoever takes the mound for Ole Miss on Friday doesn't have to be the best arm on staff, just the most dependable. That description fits Rebel ace Hunter Elliott.

Early in the season, Elliott struggled to settle into games while he worked on a slight change to his arm slot, but by the second weekend of conference play, he started to look like himself again. Once he found command of the fastball, he rebounded to a 19.4% K-BB%, leaning on a filthy changeup to finish hitters.

Elliott also provides length. When the season's on the line, pitch counts go out the window, and Elliott finds another gear as the pressure rises.

"You have to lay it all out there this time of year," Elliott said, describing the mentality needed to be ready for a regional. "At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is winning."

That competitiveness has been instrumental in preserving and managing the bullpen throughout the season. Time and again, Elliott has relied on his ability to navigate high-pressure situations, and when the outcome is in doubt, he consistently finds a way to leave runners stranded on the basepaths with a 78.4% left-on-base rate.

The ability to fight through and record high-leverage outs relieves pressure on the bullpen, easing the workload even for the arms capable of making multiple appearances in a weekend.

The Real Cost of Losing Friday

Winning on Friday allows Bianco and his staff to manage proactively, and with Cade Townsend and Taylor Rabe left in the rotation, you are well-positioned to remain in the winners' bracket. A loss, however, forces the staff to navigate the rest of the weekend under win-or-go-home pressure, managing inning by inning rather than strategically around matchups.

In the NCAA Tournament, talent and depth matter, but in a sport where teams can catch fire or go ice cold overnight, starting in the winners' bracket gives you control. Everyone in the losers' bracket spends the weekend trying to survive.

Ole Miss faces the Arizona State Sun Devils on Friday at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.

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