What Went Wrong for Ole Miss in Loss Against Troy in Baseball CWS

Why Ole Miss lost against Troy this afternoon

Jun 14, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; Mississippi Rebels left fielder Brayden Randle (1) circles the bases after hitting a home run against the Troy Trojans during the second inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

Ole Miss suffered a tough loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels last Friday, forcing them to face Troy in a win or go home situaution.

Despite going up 6-2 early in the game, the Rebels' bullpen collapsed when it mattered most.

Now Ole Miss fans will have a football season to look forward to after no more baseball for the remainder of 2026.

Pitching Collpase

Ole Miss Rebels' Walker Hooks (19) celebrates victory as Auburn Tigers take on Ole Miss Rebels during the NCAA Super Regional game two at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, June 6, 2026. Ole Miss Rebels defeated Auburn Tigers 5-3 clinching the series. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This problem can be attributed largely to the poor performance of the pitching in the later innings of the game. During the first few innings of play, Ole Miss had performed sufficiently well offensively and created a good cushion for itself. Being down 6-2, Troy started chipping away at the deficit and eventually took control of the game. Troy scored three runs during the fifth inning, four during the seventh, and another three runs in the eighth inning. In all, Ole Miss gave up ten runs during those later phases of the game.

Another one of these occurred in the fifth inning. After Troy started mounting a push, Hunter Elliott balked, resulting in a run. It is rare for a balk alone to win games; however, it can change the direction of a game. At the end of the fifth inning, Troy scored three runs, bringing the score much closer. Instead of having the lead look comfortable, the game took on a very different tone, where Troy began playing with more confidence.

Troy capitalized more than Ole Miss

Jun 14, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; Mississippi Rebels left fielder Brayden Randle (1) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Troy Trojans during the second inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Troy was also very successful when it mattered the most. The team had 13 hits and managed to come through with runners on the bases. There were some game-changing plays from the offense, such as when Troy scored three runs after the bases were loaded and also a double that scored two more runs. It seemed as though multiple players made their presence known on offense against Ole Miss pitchers and made it impossible for them to get out of sticky situations.

On the other hand, the Ole Miss offense had a tough time reacting once the tide had turned against them. The Rebels were able to score six runs in the first four innings but could not score much after that, adding just two runs in the following five innings. The Rebels recorded twelve total hits, including a couple of homers by Brayden Randle and Carson Reuter, but that was not enough once Troy started getting hot.

In the end, the outcome of the game rested with what took place following the fourth inning. While Ole Miss was able to get off to a commanding start, Troy was able to take control throughout the middle and later portions of the game. The bullpen for the Rebels was unable to hold a four-run lead, while the offense never found its stride after Troy took control.

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