Stay Alive: Ole Miss Baseball Faces Elimination in College World Series

After a 6-2 loss to North Carolina, the Rebels are in unfamiliar territory this postseason

Jun 12, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; Mississippi Rebels shortstop Owen Paino (6) hits a single against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the eighth inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

North Carolina defeated Ole Miss 6-2, forcing the Rebels to string together multiple wins to keep their season alive in Omaha.

Ole Miss will now face the Troy Trojans on Sunday, in what is a must-win game to keep their playoff hopes alive.

After a 7-5 loss to West Virginia, Troy will face Ole Miss in a losers bracket matchup, while West Virginia and North Carolina will square off in the winners bracket.

It is the Trojans’ first time in Omaha in school history, and their path certainly was not easy. They dropped their first game in the Gainesville Regional to Miami and then went on to win four straight, including defeating highly touted Florida.

Bullpen Woes

Ole Miss' Hudson Calhoun (23) pitches against Mississippi State in Oxford, Miss. on Saturday, March 28, 2026. | Bruce Newman/Special to the Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Taylor Rabe got the first start of the College World Series for the Rebels and shone, throwing 5.2 innings, striking out seven batters, and allowing only one earned run.

Rabe struggled with command in later innings, however, allowing four walks which was a common theme for the other Ole Miss pitchers.

Hudson Calhoun struggled in the game, walking two of the three batters he faced. He was quickly pulled, but the damage was done, as both baserunners ended up scoring in the inning.

Hooks pitched two innings, allowing three hits and three earned runs in one of his worst performances of the season.

After the bullpen was a real strength for Ole Miss in the Lincoln Regional and the Auburn Regional, the relief pitchers really let Rabe’s strong performance down in Game 1 of the College World Series.

Too Many Rebels Go Hitless

Jun 12, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; Mississippi Rebels catcher Austin Fawley (24) swings at a pitch against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the sixth inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

Despite Ole Miss outhitting North Carolina 8-5, several of the Rebels’ top hitters went hitless against UNC pitcher Jason DeCaro.

Tristan Bisetta struggled mightily, going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Austin Fawley also did not deliver for Ole Miss, going 0-for-3 with one walk and two strikeouts.

The Rebels had several hitters go without a hit, which left strong performances from Owen Paino, Dom Decker, and Judd Uttermark to go to waste.

The Rebels could not generate any home runs, which is surprising for a team that heavily relies on power production throughout much of the regular season.

DeCaro did a great job pitching against the Rebels’ hitters, as a majority of the hits were ground balls through gaps and did not end up doing as much damage as the North Carolina hitters did against Calhoun and Hooks.

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