Diamond Rebels Await Monday’s Selection for NCAA Tourney Site

Sikes Orvis with a high offensive production.
Photo courtesy Joshua McCoy, Ole Miss Athletics

After leaving the Southeastern Conference tournament early on the first day with a 6-1 deficit to Alabama, Ole Miss awaits the selection on Monday, when they will find out where they will start their road to Omaha.

Ole Miss (30-26) finished the regular season with a 27th RPI in the country and the toughest schedule in the nation.

The Rebels got a lot of production in the last few weeks of the season off the bat of senior Sikes Orvis, who blasted a total of 16 home runs and 53 RBI this year.

Coach Mike Bianco’s club played lights out against the No. 1 teams in the nation by taking two of three from Florida and Vanderbilt in SEC play.

A true look at how the Rebels secured a seed in the NCAA baseball tournament was the sweep against in-state rival Mississippi State. Ole Miss had to fight back in Game 3 of the series as the Bulldogs led 7-2 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

The Rebels battled back with walks and hits to tie the game at 7 apiece. In the bottom of the 10th, Ole Miss brought the winning run home which gave the Rebels a 7-0 record against State in the major men sports for the first time since 1972.

As Monday’s announcements on ESPNU at 11 a.m. CST approaches, the Rebels will join eight other SEC clubs in the chase for Omaha. According to D1baseball.com, Ole Miss could end up as a two seed in the Fort Worth regional to open the NCAA tournament.

Adam Brown is HottyToddy.com sports editor and can be reached at adam.brown@hottytoddy.com.