What the Rebels Said After Game One Win in CWS Finals
OMAHA, Neb. -- The Ole Miss Rebels are now one win away from winning the national championship after capturing game one of the College World Series finals 10-3 over the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday.
Jack Dougherty drew the start for Ole Miss on the mound and had a perfect game bid entering the sixth inning before he ran into some trouble on the base paths. The Rebel right-hander was credited with two earned runs on his line, but Ole Miss never trailed in the game and held a 4-2 lead after six.
The Rebels drew first blood in Saturday's game with two runs in the top of the first inning and another run in the second. The offensive highlight of the game, however, came in the top of the eighth when Ole Miss hit back-to-back-to-back home runs to extend its lead to 8-2. T.J. McCants, Calvin Harris and Justin Bench were responsible for the big flies.
Head coach Mike Bianco was made available to the media after the Rebel win on Saturday along with Dougherty, Tim Elko and Mason Nichols. Here's what the four had to say after taking a lead in the series.
Mike Bianco
On game overview:
"I really thought we played well tonight. I thought the first inning was huge. Bennett is so good, a Big Leaguer out there, and to draw him the first game of the Championship Series I think is a tough challenge for the offense.
"But after two outs, Tim got a big base hit. I think he advanced on a wild pitch fastball, and then Kevin got a huge hit through the six-hole, which is one of the things we did in practice yesterday, getting those left-handers to work the other way.
"A lot of credit to Kevin. A lot of credit to Coach Clem. I thought that was big to get on the board in the first. Obviously, Jack had a tremendous day. I thought super fastball command, super slider command. He just lived ahead in the count. We scratched a few more runs.
"Then we kind of had a hiccup there. They got a couple of hits. Another bunt that we don't make a play on. But I thought Mason, true freshman, comes in there and obviously such a big moment in that game. I thought that was really the baseball game there to get off the field there with just a couple.
"Then, of course, we hadn't scored for a while, and the big home run by T.J. and then Bench, and then I guess Calvin was in between. Three home runs back to back to back. I don't know if that's ever been done here at this stadium."
On large Rebel crowd in game one:
"It felt like Swayze Field because of how partisan maybe it was, but man, it felt like a football game out there.
"On the field, it was that loud. Swayze has been pretty loud. I don't know if Swayze has ever been that loud.
"When they played "Sweet Caroline" whatever inning it was, I have never heard anything like that. Just impressive. Thankful. I think as a coach, it's really neat to sit back. And you don't do it too much in the game, but it was so loud that a couple of times you did. You look up and go, wow, all these people showed up here.
"It's not an easy place to get to. It's not a cheap place to get to. A lot of people, it meant the world for them to be here this weekend. They're passionate, aren't they?"
Jack Dougherty
On handling emotions for first start in three months:
"I tried not to think about it too much. Just wanted to go out there and be myself. Found out yesterday that I was starting. My mom actually got mad at me because I didn't tell her. I didn't want to think about it too much, didn't want to get in my own head. I just wanted to go out there and pitch."
Tim Elko
On what set the tone in the eighth inning prior to three-straight home runs:
"I think we knew we needed to get a couple more runs. They've got a good offense, and we were holding them at bay, but it would have felt a lot better to get a couple more runs.
"You know, whenever T.J. hit that ball out, it felt like all the momentum shifted to us. Then, you know, Calvin followed with one, and J.B. followed with another.
"It was great to get those runs in and huge hits by those guys."
On atmosphere of game one:
"Yeah. I would say there were probably 20,000 Rebels there. It was an amazing environment. Super fun to play in. Just having all that support, it makes it a lot of fun to play.
"Shout out to our fans for making it up here to Omaha and making it a really cool experience so far."
On mood after the three-straight home runs:
"Morale was real high. We've done that before. We hit three homers in a row at home, but definitely trumps it hitting here.
"It was really, really cool to watch. I think I was in the hole for the last one. Just taking in all the fans going crazy in the outfield, and it was a really cool experience.
"Like you said, just helped to carry us there at the end of the game for the win."
Mason Nichols
On confidence gained with important relief appearance as a true freshman:
"It was great. God gets all the glory for that, though, because I asked Him for some peace and some strength before I went out there, and He gave me both.
"I was just so excited to get out of it for the team. It was a great opportunity, and looking forward to next couple of days."
On what Bianco said to him prior to facing a talented Oklahoma order:
"My mentality was I know that Graham is a great hitter, but whenever I came in, I just wanted to throw my best pitches. Coach was calling it. He told me when I came out there, just fill up the zone. Slider away first pitch, so that was the game plan.
"I was just trying to get my slider down, throw the fastball, locate it well, and I did it."
On having nerves prior to relief outing:
"Absolutely. 100 percent. For me, I had plenty of butterflies. The biggest thing was that the coaches have been good enough to trust me and put me in those situations earlier in the year in big environments like Trustmark Park, Swayze, those sort of places.
"So I was just focused on doing my job, and I'm glad I got it done."
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