Ole Miss took down Oklahoma, 4-2, to win the 2022 Men’s College World Series. It’s the Rebels’ first MCWS title in school history.
The Rebels were on the ropes entering the bottom of the eighth inning. Down 2-1 and with Oklahoma’s Cade Horton dealing, momentum was fully on the Sooners side as Oklahoma tried to force another game.
But with one out and TC McCants on first base after a single, Horton was taken out for Trevin Michael.
With Michael on the mound, Ole Miss’ Justin Bench kicked things off with a single to move McCants to third base. McCants was sent home when Jacob Gonzalez knocked another single to plate him, tying the score at 2-2.
HOTTY TODDY, GOSH ALMIGHTY! @OleMissBSB LEADS‼️
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 26, 2022
📺 ESPN#MCWS pic.twitter.com/jwjJFxbw0i
Then came two wild pitches. The first scored Bench to make it 3-2. The second plated Gonzalez to extend the lead to 4-2, adding some insurance.
Prior to that explosive eighth inning, Oklahoma had the pressure on Ole Miss.
The Rebels opened the scoring in the sixth inning when Gonzalez knocked a solo shot to make it 1-0. But the Sooners responded in the top of the seventh. Jackson Nicklaus doubled to left field, scoring a run and tying the game. Then, with the bases loaded, Kendall Pettis was walked, paving the way for Wallace Clark to score and Oklahoma to take the 2-1 lead.
TIE GAME!
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 26, 2022
📺 ESPN#MCWS x @OU_Baseball pic.twitter.com/WY5ZXRtnKi
Due to their comeback, the Rebels became the first team to win a championship game when trailing after seven innings since LSU in 2000.
Ole Miss’ bats were held at bay for most of Sunday due to an outstanding performance from Horton. He went 7.1 innings, giving up two earned runs on four hits and 13 strikeouts.
The Rebels’ Men’s College World Series win is impressive in both the grand scheme of Ole Miss history and in terms of the field of 64 selected for a shot at Omaha.
Ole Miss was one of the “Last 4 in” on selection day and its the fourth regional No. 3 or 4 seed to win the MCWS since the NCAA tournament expanded in 1999.
A champions embrace.#MCWS x @OleMissBSB pic.twitter.com/Bm2LK6CvNh
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 26, 2022
On the school side, this Rebels baseball team is only the second Ole Miss athletics team to ever win a national championship. The first was Ole Miss women’s golf in 2021.
Ole Miss becomes the seventh different SEC school to be crowned Men’s College World Series champion. Eight of the past 13 national champions call the SEC their conference.
