Rebel Lefty Hunter Elliott: 'I Want the Ball Whenever I Can Get It' in CWS Finals
OMAHA, Neb. -- The Ole Miss Rebels have yet to announce a starter for game one of the College World Series finals on Saturday, but freshman left-hander Hunter Elliott is ready when his name is called.
Elliott has become a mainstay in the Rebel rotation, holding the No. 2 spot behind staff ace Dylan DeLucia. For a freshman who has been through an up-and-down season that has led to a national championship appearance, he claims that he never lost faith in himself or his team.
"We've always thought we were this good," Elliott said on Friday. "I think at one point we were ranked No. 1 or whatever. But like in baseball, sometimes you scuffle, and we were scuffling there for a while, but we just continued to believe and knew we were good enough, and we ended up here.
"It's been a lot of fun. Had a lot of ups and downs, like Coach [Mike Bianco], our motto this year is enjoy the ride, enjoy the ups and the downs. And we've had those, and I've had those. I think everyone on the team has had those."
The Rebels will meet the Oklahoma Sooners in a best-of-three series for the national title beginning on Saturday.
"Obviously they're a really good team if they're here," Elliott said. "I mean, we haven't done a ton of scouting yet. I'm sure we'll do that later today and tomorrow morning. We don't know a ton about their hitters or stuff like that yet.
"They're obviously really good. Their pitching staff is really good. We know that. Their hitters are really good. All the respect in the world for them."
Although Bianco has yet to announce his game one starter, Elliott, who has already pitched well in Omaha, is hoping he is the one who gets to toe the rubber on Saturday, even on short rest.
"I'll show up to practice today, stretch it out, throw a little bit, do some arm care, see how I'm recovering, see how I feel," Elliott said. "Obviously I want the ball tomorrow or whatever day I can get it. We'll just have to see."
First pitch between Ole Miss and Oklahoma is set for 6 p.m. Saturday on ESPN.
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