Omaha Bound: Ole Miss sweeps Auburn Super Regional with 5-3 win in Game 2
Article excerpt
Ole Miss swept Auburn in their Super Regional on Saturday with a 5-3 victory in Game 2, punching the Rebels' ticket to the College World Series in Omaha for the third time under head coach Mike Bianco. The win made Ole Miss the third team to secure a CWS berth that day, following West Virginia and Troy, though notably, the Rebels accomplished their sweep on the road rather than as hosts. Bianco's team will now head to the CWS after eliminating Auburn in the regional playoff.
Ole Miss Rebels players celebrate victory as Auburn Tigers take on Ole Miss Rebels during the NCAA Super Regional game two at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, June 6, 2026. Ole Miss Rebels defeated Auburn Tigers 5-3 clinching the series. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
For the third time in his career at Ole Miss, head coach Mike Bianco will be leading his squad to the College World Series.
The Rebels were the third team to punch their ticket on Saturday, following West Virginia and Troy, who both swept as hosts. Ole Miss swept on the road, just like they did when they won the 2022 title as the “last team in.” This iteration wasn’t the last team in, but they also have yet to lose in the postseason.
Bianco opted to ride the hot hand of Taylor Rabe to begin Game 2 and outside of one inning when Auburn put up two runs, Rabe shoved. Think about that. The Rebs swept a Super without having to throw Cade Townsend who is projected to go in the first round of the 2026 MLB Draft.
It looked grim through five innings as the Rebel bats were either striking out or grounding out weakly. Brayden Randle led the sixth inning off with a single and Dom Decker reached with one out by a hit-by-pitch. Judd Utermark doubled in the right center gap, driving in the tying two runs and chasing Auburn’s starter Alex Petrovic.
A collective sigh of relief among the Rebel faithful.
In the top of the eighth, JP Robertson walked two Tigers with two outs before one of those plays that completely changes timelines in the multiverse took place. Hayden Federico committed a cardinal baseball sin, taking his initial step(s) in on a hard hit ball to dead center. Now, for the sake of grace, balls hit directly at you in center field ARE some of the hardest to judge. However, FIRST STEP BACK. Federico is forced to sprint back in recovery and leaps at the last second to snow-cone the third out. Ole Miss escapes disaster before stealing momentum in the bottom of the inning.
After Utermark walked with one out, Will Furniss gave the Rebels a two run lead with a blast to right field. Tristan Bissetta followed that up with a bomb of his own, giving Ole Miss enough insurance to survive the Auburn threat in the top of the ninth.
Book your trip now and get ready for your Jello shots Rebel nation, Dirty Mike and the boys are headed back to Omaha!