For the first time in years, Mississippi has two teams a single series from the College World Series. Ole Miss and Mississippi State both reached super-regional weekend, and both will spend it on the road, chasing the same prize: a ticket to Omaha.
Ole Miss opens first. The Rebels play at Auburn beginning Friday, June 5 (7 p.m. CT, ESPN2), with Game 2 Saturday at 4 p.m. CT (ESPN) and a Game 3 Sunday if necessary. Mississippi State goes the next morning, at Georgia in the Athens Super Regional, Game 1 Saturday, June 6 (10 a.m. CT, ESPN), Game 2 Sunday (11 a.m. CT, ESPN), Game 3 Monday if needed.
Neither has it easy. State (43-17), the No. 14 seed, drew a Georgia team (49-12) that swept the Bulldogs at Dudy Noble in April and beat them again in the SEC Tournament. Ole Miss, left off the 16-team host list two weekends ago, faces an Auburn club that won four straight to escape its regional. Two road series, two opponents playing their best baseball, two best-of-three gauntlets.
The reward is the same for both: the Men's College World Series, which opens Friday, June 12 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha. Win this weekend and a Mississippi school (maybe two) will be there.
For north Mississippi baseball fans who just watched MHSAA state championships at Trustmark Park, this is the same game at its highest level: SEC arms, national TV windows, and a destination every kid in a summer league can name. The state was hosting regionals two weekends ago. Now it's two series wins from putting two teams in Omaha.
Full previews: Mississippi State at Georgia and Ole Miss at Auburn. Super-regional schedule at ncaa.com.
