OXFORD, Miss. — The path to Omaha starts Friday for Ole Miss.
As the No. 10 overall seed, the Rebels will be hosting a regional at Swayze Field with Georgia Tech, Western Kentucky and Murray State coming to town.
It’s the NCAA Tournament and nothing will be easy.
The Oxford Regional bracket features four teams:
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Ole Miss Rebels (Host, 40-19)
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Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (40-17)
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Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (46-12)
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Murray State Racers (39-13)
Ole Miss earned its hosting spot after a strong SEC Tournament run and impressive series wins against top teams like Florida, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and Auburn.
How Vegas feels about Oxford.
Ole Miss holds the best odds in the bracket (+105), but the competition is fierce. Georgia Tech follows at +180, Western Kentucky at +400, and Murray State is a longshot at +1500.
The Rebels have won seven of ten regionals hosted in Oxford, and their home-field advantage is among the best in college baseball.
To reach the Super Regionals, Ole Miss must outlast a Georgia Tech squad that won the ACC regular season with one of the nation’s most powerful offenses.
Western Kentucky a team with 46 wins.
Honorable mention to a dangerous Murray State team that nearly upset the Rebels earlier this year.
Game 1: Ole Miss vs. Murray State, Key Matchups
Tomorrow night at 7 p.m., Ole Miss faces Murray State in the opening round. Senior right-hander Riley Maddox will get the start for the Rebels.
Maddox enters with a 6-5 record, 5.26 ERA, and 67 strikeouts over 65 innings, holding opponents to a .252 average.
Head coach Mike Bianco is saving ace Hunter Elliott for a potential Game 2 matchup against either Georgia Tech or Western Kentucky.
Murray State is not to be underestimated. The Racers pushed Ole Miss to extra innings in their last meeting and finished the season with a strong 39-13 record.
Who’s in Ole Miss’s Way?
Georgia Tech looms as the biggest threat. The Yellow Jackets are led by ACC Player of the Year Drew Burress (.381 average, 25 HR).
Western Kentucky, the C-USA Tournament champs, bring a 46-12 record and plenty of momentum. Both teams have the firepower to challenge the Rebels if they get hot.
The Rebels have the experience, talent, and home-field advantage. However, they must stay sharp on the mound to fend off Georgia Tech’s bats and Western Kentucky’s consistency.
If Ole Miss plays to its potential, a Super Regional berth is in reach.
