Ole Miss is heading to its first Super Regional in four years after perfect weekend in Lincoln

LINCOLN, Neb. — Mike Bianco had to tell his Ole Miss squad in the outfield that there needed to be crow on the menu for him moments after they knocked off Arizona State, 5-4 in 10 innings, to win the Lincoln Regional.

A win that Ole Miss had grind out and overcome their own self-made adversity disproved a point Bianco has made to the team before.

“One of the weird things is, I guess I should eat a little crow tonight, that I’ve talked so much about if you don’t play well you lose. Tonight we didn’t play well. We made a lot of mistakes,” Bianco said. “Tonight we didn’t make plays. We didn’t make pitches. Had some tough at-bats at the wrong time. But credit the players for their toughness and the perseverance to overcome some bad plays.”

There was a perfect way to cap off the improbable 3-0 run in the regional and it was with Dom Decker hitting the game-winning sacrifice-fly that caused Bianco to eat that crow. You know, the former Murray State player that made the Rebels life hell a year ago in the Oxford Regional.

On Sunday night the two were sitting next to each other at the podium after the Racers transfer sent another team to the Super Regional round. This time it was the Rebels.

“I gave him a big hug out there and said, ‘Hey, thanks for coming to the other side,” Bianco said.

There were several heroes in the game from Decker to Luke Romine who came in as a pinch hitter in the 10th inning, hitting a single to move pinch-runner Cannon Goldin to third base. There was Owen Paino looking like an All-American shortstop with the defensive plays he made, including the game-winning final out against Nebraska earlier in the day in the one-inning matinee.

On the mound it was Wil Libbert and JP Robertson who provided five scoreless innings in relief. Libbert came in to start the sixth inning after Cade Townsend gave five innings of what Bianco described as the “gustiest performance” of the right-hander’s career.

It would not be hyperbole to call Libbert’s effort on Sunday as the best of his first season with the Rebels. The Missouri transfer recorded two strikeouts and issued only one walk. From there he gave the ball to Robertson for the ninth and he mirrored the effort with a pair of strikeouts and a walk.

“Wil Libbert I thought was the difference in the game for us and of course JP Robertson at the end,” Bianco said. “Another great outing and just eating up innings for us.”

On the weekend the Ole Miss bullpen held the Arizona State offense to 10 runs combined in two games (24 innings) after the Sun Devils offense scored 29 total runs – including three grand slams – against Nebraska and South Dakota State.

At the plate it was a frustrating night for Ole Miss with early chances that were not cashed in

Arizona State took an early 3-0 lead but Ole Miss got to starter Collin Linder in the second inning for a pair of runs, but it could have been more. The bases were loaded twice in the inning but could not break the game open.

Both teams left 11 runners on base but Ole Miss was 3-13 with runners in scoring position while the Sun Devils went 1-for-12.

In the end it was a ball caught for an out hit by a player that helped end the team’s season he plays for now a year ago that was the winning blow.

“It’s an amazing feeling. It’s my dream as a little kid to play in the SEC and, I mean, dream come true,” Decker said. “This team’s everything I’ve ever hoped for in a team. I mean, great group of guys. It’s such a close-knit group. I couldn’t be more proud to play with a group of players.”

Ole Miss will now play in next week’s Super Regionals at Auburn or host Milwaukee.