By: Jacob Thimjon
June 25: Ole Miss’ Jack Dougherty (39) walks off the mound after closing out the third inning against Oklahoma during a College World Series game. Megan Nielsen, The Omaha World-Herald
OMAHA, Neb.- The Ole Miss Rebels defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 10-3 in Game One of the Men’s College World Series finals behind dominant pitching and offense.
The Rebels drew first blood just four batters into the game after Rebels left fielder Kevin Graham singled to left field, scoring first baseman Tim Elko from second. Elko advanced to second on a wild pitch earlier in the inning.
A two-out error by Sooner shortstop Peyton Graham scored Kevin Graham from third base to increase Ole Miss’s lead to 2-0. Graham advanced to third on the second wild pitch of the inning from Oklahoma starter Jake Bennett.
Bennett’s command struggles continued in the top of the second when he threw his third wild pitch of the game, allowing Ole Miss right fielder Calvin Harris to score from second base, extending the Rebel lead to 3-0. Harris reached base on an infield single after Oklahoma’s first baseman Blake Robertson dropped the potential third out of the inning.
Elko led off the top of the third with his 24th home run of the season, launching a 354-foot solo home run into the right-field bullpen to increase the lead to 4-0.
Ole Miss starting pitcher Jack Dougherty was dominant on the mound. He began his start by retiring the first 15 Sooners he faced.
Dougherty said Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco had a simple yet effective message for his starter before Game One.
“Just be you,” Dougherty said of what Bianco told him before the game. “Go out, attack with your fastball, get ahead in counts, and just pitch like you pitch, and you’ll be successful.”
Dougherty’s perfect game was broken up in the bottom of the sixth when Sooners second baseman Jack Nicklaus singled to center field.
Designated hitter Sebastian Orduno followed with a single, and left fielder Kendall Pettis reached base on an infield bunt that loaded the bases. A throwing error by Ole Miss third baseman Garret Wood allowed Nicklaus to score to make the Rebel lead 4-1.
A walk by Oklahoma Right fielder John Spikerman walked to again load the bases for the Sooners. Doughtery was relieved by freshman left-handed reliever Mason Nichols out of the Ole Miss bullpen following the Spikerman walk.
Nichols recorded back-to-back strikeouts of Graham and Robertson. However, a walk to Sooner center fielder Tanner Tredaway scored Orduno and cut the Rebel’s lead to 4-2. The Rebels escaped further damage when Sooner catcher Jimmy Crooks grounded out to Nichols the next at-bat to end the inning.
“I was just focused on doing my job, and I’m glad I got it done,” Nichols said.
Ole Miss delivered the biggest blow of the game when the Rebels hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in the top of the eighth —marking the first time since 1998 that three straight home runs were in one half-inning at the MCWS.
“That kind of knocked the wind out of their sails,” Bianco said.
Pinch hitter TJ McCants started the home run barrage with a two-out, two-run home run into the right-field bullpen. Harris followed with a solo shot to right field, and center fielder Justin Bench delivered the third consecutive home run of the inning into the left-center field bleachers to extend the Ole Miss lead to 8-2.
“The morale was real high, it was really cool to watch,” Elko said.
Robertson delivered a run-scoring single to right field to score Orduno, to trim Oklahoma’s deficit to 8-3 in the eighth. Orduno walked and advanced to second on a balk by Ole Miss reliever Josh Mallitz.
The Rebels added two runs in the top of the ninth on second baseman Peyton Chatagner’s RBI double and followed by a sacrifice fly by catcher Hayden Dunhurst to make the Rebel lead 10-3.
After two Sooners reached scoring position in the bottom of the ninth, Mallitz struck out Pettis to seal the Ole Miss 10-3 win and give Oklahoma its first loss of the MCWS.
“We’re going to learn our lesson,” Bennett said. “Slow everything down; we’ll get back and be ready to play tomorrow; it’s a three-game series for a reason.”
Bennett finished his outing surrendering four runs (three earned) on seven hits and recorded 10 strikeouts in 6 ⅓ innings pitched.
Oklahoma (45-23) must now win games two and three of the MCWS championship series to win their first national championship since 1994. Ole Miss (41-23) is one win away from the program’s first national championship in baseball with the win.
“We still have another game to win; it’s obviously great to win the first one, but we still have to win one more to take home the whole thing,” Elko said. “Be rested up tomorrow, focused up, and be ready to win one more.”
Game Two of the championship series is Sunday, June 26, at 2 p.m from Charles Schwab Field on ESPN.