By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com
The No. 4 Ole Miss Rebels baseball team take the diamond this afternoon to open the 2021 season in the State Farm College Baseball Showdown at Arlington, Texas at Globe Life Field. The Rebels open the season against No. 10 TCU from the Big 12. The first pitch is set for 3 p.m.
Ole Miss (0-0) is coming off of the hottest season’s going 16-1 in 2020 prior to the shutdown due to COVID-19 pandemic. Coach Mike Bianco’s club returns with all but Tyler Keenan and Anthony Servideo from the every day line lineup.
The Rebels led the nation last season in long balls with 37 home runs.
TCU (0-0) will be the first test for the Rebels. The Horned Frogs finished last season 11-4.
TCU returns all but one player from last season’s club. Returning sluggers Gene Wood and Conner Shepherd led the team in RBIs with 14 each.
Bianco will give the ball to the Rebels southpaw ace Doug Nikhazy against the Horned Frogs right-hander Johnny Ray.
Last season, Nikhazy went 3-1 with a 2.35 ERA, he struck out 31 hitters and only allowed nine walks.
This will be the 19th all-time meeting between the Rebels and TCU. Each club has won nine games. Ole Miss and the Horned Frogs have met on opening day twice with the Rebels holding a 2-0 advantage in the series in season-opener wins.
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