Mississippi Braves Host 'Ole Miss Night' in Trustmark Park Doubleheader
PEARL, Miss. -- The Mississippi Braves, Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, hosted "Ole Miss Night" on Thursday where the Ole Miss Rebels were able to celebrate their national championship run.
The "M-Braves," as they are commonly known, hosted the Rebels' NCAA National Championship trophy at Trustmark Park in Pearl prior to the team's doubleheader against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. The M-Braves split the twin bill with the club out of Pensacola, but the Rebels were on display nonetheless.
Below are tweets and images from Ole Miss Night in Pearl.
A month ago, the future of the Ole Miss season and that of head coach Mike Bianco were in jeopardy before they claimed the first national championship in program history.
The Rebels claimed a 4-2 win in a pitchers' duel mastered by Hunter Elliott and the Oklahoma Sooners' Cade Horton. It took a one-out baserunner while trailing 2-1 in the eighth inning to chase Horton from the game, and the Rebels were able to get to Sooner closer Trevin Michael, putting up three runs in the bottom half to take the final 4-2 lead.
Jacob Gonzalez, who had been slumping at the plate in Omaha, helped the Rebels draw first blood in the deciding game with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Oklahoma would claim a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh, chasing Hunter Elliott and reliever Mason Nichols before John Gaddis was able to stop the bleeding with the bases loaded.
In the bottom of the eighth, T.J. McCants worked a one-out single to chase Horton from the game. McCants and Justin Bench worked a hit-and-run in the next at bat to put runners at the corners, and a Jacob Gonzalez single tied the game. Two more Rebel runs came across in the frame via wild pitches from Michael.
With the win, Ole Miss has its first national championship in program history, and it now has claim to five national championships in school history.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Rebels? Click Here.