The road to Omaha has been paved for Ole Miss, and the Rebels will soon embark upon their second College World Series journey in four years.
Ole Miss is back in the field of teams competing for the title for the first time since 2022 — and we all know how that played out. Now, the Rebels will look to return to glory with North Carolina being the first opponent on the docket. Mike Bianco’s club (41-21) will take on the Tar Heels (50-12-1) on Friday night.
Where is the College World Series?
The College World Series takes place at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. This year’s edition will run from June 12-22.
First pitch time
First pitch for Ole Miss-North Carolina is set for 6 p.m. CT.
How to listen
For those tuning in via radio, participating SuperTalk Mississippi stations will be airing the Ole Miss-North Carolina game. To find a station in your signal range, click here. You can also listen on the SuperTalk app, available on both Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
How to watch
All College World Series games will air on ESPN with the exception of game two of the championship series, which will be broadcast on ABC.
The Ole Miss and North Carolina matchup will be televised on ESPN.
Expected pitching matchup
Ole Miss is expected to go against the traditional weekend schedule and hand the ball to right-hander Taylor Rabe. Rabe (5-3) has been nothing short of phenomenal this season, posting a 3.71 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 98 strikeouts while only allowing 29 earned runs on 61 hits and 11 walks.
North Carolina will likely go with Jason DeCaro (11-2), who has been rock solid for the Tar Heels this year. The right-hander has a 2.28 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 84 strikeouts while only allowing 22 earned runs on 73 hits and 38 walks.
Players to watch
For Ole Miss, a pair of seniors will look to ride out in the sunlight in their final year with the Rebels. Third baseman Judd Utermark, the program’s all-time home run leader is a player to keep an eye on for his ability to hit the long ball. He is batting .312 and slugging .645 with 73 hits and 22 home runs. Another star is first baseman Will Furniss, who is batting .311 with 70 hits and 56 RBI.
For North Carolina, Owen Hull and Jake Schaffner are the bats to look out for. Hull is hitting .390 with a 1.094 OPS, 92 hits, and 81 RBI. Schaffner bats .358 with 88 hits and 46 RBI. The duo has combined for 13 home runs this season.
Other teams competing in the College World Series
Joining Ole Miss and North Carolina on their side of the bracket are West Virginia and Troy. On the other side of the bracket is a gauntlet that includes three SEC clubs. It consists of Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Alabama.
