OXFORD, Miss. — Murray State secured its first-ever NCAA Super Regional berth with a nail-biting 12-11 victory over Ole Miss at Swayze Field on Monday.
It took comeback by the Rebels that would have been legendary if it didn’t end up a couple of runs short.
The Racers (41-15) weathered a furious late-game rally from Ole Miss (43-21), turning what appeared to be a comfortable nine-run cushion into a tension-filled finale that had the packed Oxford crowd on its feet until the final out.
“Murray State was really good this weekend,” Ole Miss head Mike Bianco said. “They played the best.”
The veteran coach’s assessment proved prophetic as the Racers, under Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year Dan Skirka, demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout the regional tournament.
The game started with Murray State’s offense firing on all cylinders, methodically building what seemed to be an insurmountable lead through six innings.
The Racers’ approach at the plate was patient yet aggressive, capitalizing on every opportunity presented.
However, the Rebels, who entered the tournament having won 30+ games for the first time since 2022, refused to go quietly.
In a display of the offensive firepower that had carried them through much of the season, Ole Miss mounted a dramatic comeback attempt that began with a five-run explosion in the seventh inning.
The electricity in Swayze Field reached fever pitch as the Rebels added three more runs in the eighth, bringing them within striking distance.
The final frame saw two Ole Miss batters go down looking at called third strikes before a fly out sealed their fate, ending hopes of advancing to their seventh Super Regional appearance under Bianco.
For Murray State, the victory marked a historic milestone.
The program, which hadn’t won an NCAA Tournament game since 1979 before this regional, has now secured its place among college baseball’s final 16 teams.
The Racers’ defensive excellence, evidenced by their .977 fielding percentage (ranking 33rd nationally), proved crucial in maintaining composure during Ole Miss’s late-game surge.
“This team has shown incredible heart all season,” Skirka said after the game. “To come into an environment like Swayze Field and compete the way we did speaks volumes about our players’ character and determination.”
The game served as a microcosm of both teams’ seasons.
Ole Miss, despite showing flashes of brilliance that included their impressive SEC Tournament run and series victory over top-5 RPI Auburn, ultimately couldn’t overcome their inconsistencies.
The Rebels’ season, which began with high hopes of returning to Omaha, instead ended in a manner that highlighted both their potential and their vulnerabilities.
Murray State’s victory sets up an intriguing Super Regional matchup against Duke (40-19), marking the first time these programs will meet in postseason play.
The Racers’ Cinderella run continues to captivate the college baseball world, proving that in the NCAA Tournament, rankings and historical pedigree often take a backseat to present-moment execution.
The loss marks a bitter end to Ole Miss’s season, particularly given their recent surge that earned them hosting rights.
The Rebels’ late-season momentum, which included impressive performances against several top-15 teams in the SEC Tournament, suggested they might be peaking at the right time.
However, baseball’s cruel nature sometimes renders such momentum meaningless in single-elimination scenarios.
As Murray State celebrates its historic achievement and prepares for their first Super Regional appearance, the program’s rise serves as a reminder of college baseball’s evolving landscape, where traditional power dynamics can shift dramatically in the span of a single weekend.
For Ole Miss, the offseason begins with questions about how to rebuild and retool for 2026, while Murray State’s magical run continues, proving that in college baseball, David can still slay Goliath, especially in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of Regional Monday.
