No. 5 Ole Miss Opens 2022 Season on the Diamond Against Charleston Southern

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

No. 5 Ole Miss baseball returns to the diamond to open the 2022 season, welcoming Charleston Southern to Swayze for a three-game slate. The first pitch is set for 4 p.m. on Friday and can be streamed on SEC Network+.

Ole Miss (0-0) is coming off of a 45-22 record in 2021 and one win away from Omaha. This season, the Rebels return the vast majority of the offense, including eight of nine position players.

Coach Mike Bianco is coming into his 22nd year as head coach of the Rebels. Bianco and his staff are returning nearly the entirety of its potent offense from the 2021 season, with eight of nine positional starters returning to the Rebel lineup. Ole Miss is poised once again to put up gaudy numbers on the scoreboard.

The Rebels lead the league in Preseason All-SEC honorees, landing five players, including four infielders, on the list. Jacob Gonzalez earned a first team nod, while Hayden Dunhurst, Tim Elko, Peyton Chatagnier and Kevin Graham all landed on the second team.

Ole Miss was also projected to win the SEC Championship in the 2022 SEC Preseason Coaches Poll, receiving four first place votes.

Charleston Southern rolls into the 2022 campaign following a 18-26 record in 2021 and a 18-22 mark in the Big South. 

CSU has sophomore Tyrell Brewer who hit .300 last season with 42 hits, nine doubles, triple and 29 runs.

CSU is coached by Marc MacMillan who served served on Bianco’s staff from 2014-20, first as a director of operations and then as volunteer assistant coach.

This weekend the probable pitching matchups will showcase the arms of left-hander Bryce Brock (Friday), right-hander Jerry Couch (Saturday) and RHP Evan Truitt (Sunday) for CSU. Bianco will give the ball to RHP Derrick Diamond (Friday), southpaw John Gaddis (Saturday) and RHP Drew McDaniel for the Rebels.

Game times for this weekend are Friday (4 p.m.), Saturday (1:30 p.m.) and Sunday (1:30 p.m.).