Ole Miss baseball 2021: State Farm College Baseball Showdown

Despite snow and ice of biblical proportions throughout the South, Ole Miss will be opening its baseball season this weekend in the State Farm College Baseball Showdown.

The Rebels will face three Big 12 teams in three days beginning on Saturday: No. 10 TCU (Sat.), No. 3 Texas Tech (Sun.) and No. 9 Texas (Mon.). All three games for the Rebels will be a 3 p.m. first pitch.

Since this is a baseball website focused on baseball things, we figured it would be prudent to preview this season-opening weekend and let y’all know what to expect. Since the 2020 season was so short-lived and very clearly ended with a national championship, and this is the first action of the season, there isn’t a ton to pull from - but I’ve listed some general facts for your pleasure.

Saturday — No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 10 TCU

TCU info:

• Located in Fort Worth, Tex.
• Mascot is the Horned Frog
• According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, the Argentine horned frog is “A voracious eater, it will attempt to swallow anything that moves close to its wide mouth, such as insects, rodents, lizards, and other frogs, even if this predator would suffocate in the process.”
• 2020 record: 11-4

The Fightin’ Frogs will be facing lefty Doug Nikhazy to open its season which is no easy task. Still, through 15 games a season ago, TCU was hitting .263 as a team, but they had four guys batting over .300, all of whom return this season. They actually weren’t ranked when the 2020 season was cut short, but the polls are high on Texas Christian this season, and they’ll certainly provide a challenge.

Sunday — No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 6 Ole Miss

Texas Tech info:

• Located in Lubbock, Tex.
• Mascot is the Red Raider
• According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, “On February 24, 1925, an article published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram suggested Tech’s athletic teams be called the “Dogies” explaining that “a Dogie is a calf whose mother died and is forced to look out for itself” and “If ever anything had to rustle for itself, it was West Texas and Tech College.” So, that’s depressing. Red Raider is much nicer.
• 2020 record: 16-3

Texas Tech is pretty complete. As a team, they hit .319 a season ago, with five sticks getting over .300. They’ll be facing Gunnar Hoglund for the Rebs on the bump. The Red Raiders were ranked fourth according to D1Baseball at the “end” of last season, and they’re loaded coming back this season. Gunnar will have his hands full.

Monday — No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 9 Texas

Texas info:

• Located in Austin, Tex.
• Mascot is the Longhorn
• According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Ole Miss and Texas have never played baseball against one another. Nope, not even in a Super Regional in the mid-2000s.
• 2020 record: 14-3

Pain. Never-ending pain. So much pain. I was in like kindergarten, but pain. I have PTSD from this happening to me at a young age. That’s all I can really say. Have fun, boys.