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Cheers to the Weekend: After four years, Ole Miss is back within two wins of Omaha

GGtKuYqW4AAo-ITby: Zach Berry8 hours agoZach_Berry

There were some nerve-racking moments last weekend in Lincoln, Neb. But, Mike Bianco’s club stood tall and held serve. Now, Ole Miss is heading to Auburn, Ala., for an All-SEC Super Regional and a chance to get back to Omaha for the College World Series.

Ole Miss won three-straight in the Lincoln Regional – dispatching of Arizona State (twice) and Nebraska in typical Ole Miss fashion. It came down to the end and had plenty of drama.

But, like it’s been all year, there big hits in key spots and lights-out pitching. Let’s recap it all here.

Ole Miss RHP Taylor Rabe (Photo credit: Ole Miss Athletics)

Taylor Rabe might be the best pitcher in the country right now

The former reliever has a consistent five-pitch mix and can command them all for strikes. He has been dialed with the fastball – topping out close to 100MPH. Over the weekend, Nebraska had no answer for him on Saturday.

Rabe pitched six inning, scattered four hits and struck out nine. When it got dicey, he bowed up and got out of a major jam with a groundout. His energy has been contagious, too. He is a fiery guy on the bump and his confidence reverberates all over the ballpark and in the dugout.

If the Rebels want to get back to the College World Series, Rabe will need to be special on the Plains.

Ole Miss OF Hayden Federico (Photo credit: Hayden Federico)

Hayden Federico has been electric at the bottom of the order

The do-it-all player for the Rebels made the Lincoln Regional All-Tournament Team after hitting .500 in the three wins. In Friday night’s marathon 14-inning win, Federico was 4-for-7. In the final two games, he was a combined 3-for-7.

Federico finished the regional with three extra-base hits, three walks and was plated three times. He has been a consistent presence in the outfield up the middle and helping the offense work station-to-station. Known for the long ball all year, Ole Miss only hit two home runs in three games in Lincoln.

A major key for Ole Miss will be to work the pitch count against a stout Auburn pitching staff and hit balls into the gap. If Federico can be a mainstay on the base paths – setting the table for the top of the order – Ole Miss could be competing in a Jell-O shot contest later this month.

Don’t look now but Wil Libbert is rounding into form

The Missouri transfer has been very up-and-down all season. He has not been what he was expected to be. Most thought he would be a stud weekend starter for the Rebels. Alas he has not been.

Fast forward to May 31 and Libbert was a key cog for Ole Miss extending its season. Libbert pitched three innings to bridge the game from Cade Towsend to JP Robertson. He struck out two, walked just one and allowed zero hits.

This is the kind of stuff you need in the postseason. It’s especially the kind of stuff you need to win in June and in Omaha. A lefty reliever coming out of the pen – touching 98 on the gun is hard to beat. And if Libbert is going to be anywhere close to what he was in Lincoln, Joel Mangrum and Co., are cooking with gas.