Ole Miss Rebels baseball

Ole Miss Rebels
2016 Ole Miss Rebels baseball team
Founded 1893
University University of Mississippi
Conference SEC
West Division
Location Oxford, MS
Head coach Mike Bianco (15th year)
Home stadium Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field
(Capacity: 10,000+)
Nickname Rebels
Colors Navy Blue and Red[1]
         
College World Series appearances
1956, 1964, 1969, 1972, 2014
NCAA Tournament appearances
1956, 1964, 1969, 1972, 1977, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Conference tournament champions
1977, 2006
Conference champions
1959, 1960, 1964, 1969, 1972, 1977, 2009

The Ole Miss Rebels baseball team represents the University of Mississippi in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team participates in the West division of the Southeastern Conference. They are currently coached by head coach Mike Bianco and assistant coaches Carl Lafferty, Mike Clement, and Stephen Head. They are currently the second most populated team in the nation – an achievement reached by keeping extra utility players on the roster. They play home games at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field. Ole Miss has played in the College World Series five times, most recently in 2014.

History

The University of Mississippi has games recorded as early as 1893. What is commonly referred to as the "modern era" is considered to have started in 1947.

Twenty different coaches have led the Ole Miss baseball team, but only six of those have done so during the modern era. Mike Bianco became the latest Ole Miss Rebels baseball head coach in June 2000.

In 1977 the Rebels won the inaugural Southeastern Conference tournament championship. They won the tournament again in 2006. They have captured three Southeastern Conference Western Division titles, the last in 2014.

The Rebels club have won seven Southeastern Conference championships and have made the NCAA Tournament nineteen times. They have also advanced to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska five times, most recently in 2014.

The 1893 Ole Miss baseball team.

Early years

The first Ole Miss baseball game on record is a 6–3 loss to Mississippi A&M (now known as Mississippi State University) in Starkville, Mississippi during 1893.

On the eve of World War I the Rebel baseball team was helmed by future New York Yankee and Hall of Fame member Casey Stengel. He compiled a record of 13–9 as skipper of the Rebels and earned the nickname "The Old Perfessor."

2009

For the first time since 1977, the Rebels won a share of the Southeastern Conference regular season title in 2009, sharing the championship with LSU despite losing to LSU in two of its three games against the Tigers. The Rebels went 0–2 in the SEC tournament. The Rebels were selected to host a regional in Oxford where they defeated Missouri and Western Kentucky, advancing them to the super regional, which they were also selected to host. The Rebels fell to Virginia in the super regional to end their season.[2]

2014

The Rebels surprised critics in 2014 by capturing the SEC West title (their 3rd under Mike Bianco) and topping 40 wins for the 4th time. Nine players from the 2014 roster were drafted by Major League teams, the most of any team in the nation. Ole Miss went 3–0 in regional play with a win over Jacksonville St. and two over Washington (including an extra-inning second win) to advance to their 5th Super Regional.

The team traveled to Lafayette, Louisiana to face the #1 ranked Ragin' Cajuns in Super Regional action. Despite losing the first game, the Rebels rallied to win games 2 and 3 and advance to the College World Series.

After opening the CWS with a loss to the Virginia Cavaliers, the Rebels reeled off 2 straight wins against Texas Tech and TCU in the losers bracket, advancing to the Semi-Finals and a re-match with the Cavaliers.

Player awards

National awards

Stuart Turner – 2013
Stephen Head – 2003

SEC awards

Drew Pomeranz – 2010
Stephen Head – 2004
Seth Smith – 2002
Stephen Head – 2003
Jordan Henry – 2007

1st Team All-Americans

Player Position Year(s) Selectors
Jake Gibbs Third Base 1960 ABCA
Donnie Kessinger Shortstop 1964 ABCA, SN
Dan Adams Third Base 1970 SN
Paul Husband Outfield 1972, 1973 ABCA, SN
Jamey Price Pitcher 1995 CB
David Dellucci Outfield 1995 NCBWA
Stephen Head Utility player 2004, 2005 BA, ABCA
Scott Bittle Pitcher 2008 BA, NCBWA
Drew Pomeranz Pitcher 2010 ABCA, BA, CB, NCBWA
Alex Yarbrough Second Base 2012 ABCA, BA, CB, NCBWA
Stuart Turner Catcher 2013 ABCA, BA
Austin Bousefield Outfield 2014 ABCA
Source:"SEC All-Americas". secsports.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-28. Retrieved 2008-07-24. 

ABCA: American Baseball Coaches Association BA: Baseball America CB: Collegiate Baseball NCBWA: National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Denotes consensus All-American|-

Oxford-University Stadium/ Swayze Field

Main article: Swayze Field

Ole Miss baseball plays their home games at Oxford-University Stadium/ Swayze Field, a $3.75 million facility that was completed in October, 1988. The first game held there was against Cumberland University on February 19, 1989 in which the Rebels took a doubleheader sweep.

Panoramic view of Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field at Ole Miss

Stadium attendance

Year Games Attendance Average
2015 28 225,873 8,066[3]
2014 34 271,920 7,997
2013 30 239,909 7,996
2012 25 186,272 7,450
2011 32 261,006 8,156
2010 33 223,035 6,759
2009 39 273,111 7,003
2008 33 155,489 4,712
2007 35 173,523 4,958
2006 36 174,756 4,854
2005 39 170,152 4,363
2004 35 122,382 3,497
2003 35 73,154 2,090
2002 36 84,910 2,359
2001 31 58,929 1,900
2000 32 40,130 1,254
1999 26 54,606 2,100

NCAA Baseball Attendance[4]

Mayor's Trophy and Governor's Cup

Mayor's Trophy/Governor's Cup
Mayor's Trophy Jackson, Mississippi
Mississippi (14) Mississippi St. (13)
1982 1984
1987 1989
1991 1993
1995 1999
2000 2002
2003 2004
2005 2006
1980 1981
1983 1985
1986 1988
1990 1992
1994 1996
1997 1998
2001
Governor's Cup Pearl, Mississippi
Mississippi (4) Mississippi St. (6)
2009 2010
2012 2015
2007 2008
2011 2013
2014 2016

Mayor's Trophy

Started in 1980 by then Jackson, Mississippi Mayor Dale Danks, Jr., the Mayor’s Trophy game had been one of the most anticipated match-ups of the Mississippi college baseball season as it featured Ole Miss versus Mississippi State. In the first 25 editions, the game has drawn an average of 4,887 fans per game. The Mayor's Trophy series ended after the 2006 match-up and was replaced by The Governor's Cup.

With a 1–0 win in 2006 over the #9-ranked Bulldogs, the first shutout ever in the 27-year history of the Mayor's Trophy series, the Rebels took the lead 14–13 in the non-conference series between the teams. That win gave Ole Miss the lead for the first and final time in the Mayor’s Trophy all-time series.

Governor's Cup

With the 2007 season, the non-conference meeting between the two teams moved to Trustmark Park in Pearl, Mississippi – which is the home to the Mississippi Braves – and was begun anew as the two teams competed for the Governor’s Cup for the first time.

See also

References

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